The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods
by GamingGuy84
Summary: This story takes place 10 years after the ending in Space Thieves. When Sly and Carmelita disappear in a musuem robbery investigation, their 15year old son Michael must find his parents and discover who is behind it before it is too late! COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1 The Robbery

Hi everyone! I'm back with a new Sly Cooper story, and I think you will like it. This story takes place 10 years after the ending in Space Thieves. Sly and Carmelita, now married and top-notch cops, investigate a robbery only to disappear without a trace! Now their 15 year old son, Michael, must find his parents and discover who is behind it before it is too late! Without any delay, here is the first chapter!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 1- The Robbery

It was a busy night at the Interpol Headquarters in Paris, France. Most cops do paper work, while others bring in the usual thugs and their bosses. However, two certain cops were doing neither. They were in one of the janitor closets for some "personal" time. One was a beautiful fox with long, dark hair with light brown fur. She was wearing a medium yellow jacket, long black jeans, and boots. The other was a handsome raccoon with gray fur, black eyes and a very bushy ringed tail. He was wearing a dark blue Interpol uniform with black pants and small dark brown shoes. Their names were Sly and Carmelita Cooper; the two best cops at Interpol.

They were also the most romantically active; they find a place to hide and make out whenever they had the chance. That is how much they love each other. Over a decade ago, Sly was a master thief and Carmelita was always trying to catch him without success, thus frustrating her. Overtime they start to have strong feelings for each other. The problem was that they were both too stubborn to admit it. On one of their chases, Sly, his gang of thieves, and Carmelita were captured by aliens from another world. The leader of these aliens had plans for Sly and his friends. He sent them on a mission to convince the leader to take them home.

It was during their adventures in space that Sly and Carmelita finally realize their feelings for each other. They have been in love ever since. After they have discovered an insidious plot by the alien leader, they fought and defeated him. They then returned home, thanks to the friendly aliens that they met along the way. They found a way to be together and ended up happily ever after. Unfortunately, there is always evil no matter where you are. And if you were a former master thief and married to a cop, you tend to attract a lot of trouble. Like tonight…

While Sly and Carmelita were "busy", someone knocked on the door to the closet. The two split apart in disappointment. "Well, looks like we've been caught red handed." said Sly. "Again," replied Carmelita in annoyance. Sly opened the door to find their boss, Lieutenant Barkley, with his arms crossed and an amused look on his face. He was an old badger with a cigar usually in his mouth. He allowed Sly to join Interpol as a request from Carmelita, thinking that Sly had suffered amnesia and couldn't remember being a thief. Boy, if he only knew Sly _did_ remember!

"There you are." said Barkley. "I have been looking for you love birds everywhere! Honestly, can't you two stay professional while you are working?" "Well sir, _technically_, we are not working." said Sly with a smile. "Last time I checked, sir, we were on our break from paper work." said Carmelita in agreement. Sighing while rubbing his forehead, Barkley asked them to come to his office immediately. "Sure sir, its not like we got anything better to do at the moment." said a sarcastic Carmelita. 5 minutes later, they were in Barkley's office. It was full of medals and awards from his long service in Interpol.

After they had sat down on the chairs available, Barkley got more serious. "Okay, listen up. I have just received a report about a robbery at the museum downtown. I want you two to investigate and see if you can find anything on the guy who broke in. I could have selected other officers for this assignment, but you two are the best we got and I want it done quickly. A famous billionaire is coming in two weeks to take a look at the museum, and I don't want him to know that one of the most secured buildings in Paris has been robbed! You understand?"

The couple got on their feet and answered. "Yes sir. We will get on it immediately." answered Sly and Carmelita. Pleased by their response, he sent them on their assignment. After they stepped out of the office, Sly turned to his feisty wife. "Man, the guy needs to take some yoga; when does ever relax?" She shook her head. "Beats me, Sly. Maybe he just needs to lay off the caffeine for a while." They laughed as they walked to their police car and headed off to the robbed museum.

When they got there 20 minutes later, they were greeted by museum security. The Head of Museum Security approached them. "Ah, good to see you again Mr. and Mrs. Cooper. I am glad that you are here, the robbery has left my security team baffled." "Really? Tell us exactly how it happened." asked Carmelita. The man took a deep breath, and talked. "Well, whoever broke in knew precisely what they were doing. All cameras went offline, all motion sensors deactivated, and all guards down on the floor with no memory of who attacked them. Honestly, I'm stumped."

Intrigued, Sly spoke up next. "What was stolen in there?" The security chief turned to Sly and shrugged. "The robber just took some old headband in the Egyptian exhibit. Everything else has been left untouched." Sly and Carmelita looked at each other, wondering the same thing: Why would the robber want to steal only one item but leave other priceless objects alone? _'This doesn't make any sense. What was so special about that headband?'_ Sly thought. Knowing that thinking alone will not get the job done, Carmelita asked if they could go in and look at the crime scene.

The security chief nodded. "Sure, be my guest. Let us know what you find." After the discussion had ended, the Cooper cops went into the museum to begin their investigation. The lights were on and there were no other guards in the building, apart from the area of the robbery. The Egyptian exhibit was two floors above the main lobby, and once they have made it up there, they met a lot of ticked off museum guards. One of them turned to the couple and explained the situation.

"Me and my buddies here were just doing our duty, nothing out of the ordinary, and then BAM! No lights were on, and someone jumped us in the black out. By the time we woke up again, the head band on that Ra statue had been taken." He pointed to the statue of Ra; the Egyptian Sun God. He looked like a tall hawk with a majestic look and had two deadly looking blades of gold. Sly and Carmelita looked closely and the statue's head and noticed a bald spot where the headband should be. Sly turned to the guard again. "What do you know about the stolen headband?"

But before the guard could answer, the lights went out again. There was darkness everywhere. Sly and Carmelita got out their shock pistols and stood alert. Then suddenly, they heard the guards being attacked from all around them! "Not again!" one of them shouted before being silenced by an unseen enemy. As soon as the attacks started, they stopped: Sly and Carmelita were the only ones still standing. Sly moved his head slightly towards her. "Something tells me the robber is back." said Sly in amusement. Carmelita had enough of being in the dark.

"Alright, come out and show yourself! Stop being a coward and give yourself up!" The lights immediately came back on. But when they did, Sly and Carmelita noticed that there was no one else in the exhibit other than themselves and the unconscious guards. The couple didn't lower guard for an instant; their instincts told them that the robber was still in the room. Sly decided to say something. "Whoever you are, you really know how to get a party started! Isn't this supposed to be the moment where the host introduces himself in a dramatic entrance to begin the fun?" They then heard footsteps behind them and instantly turned around.

The person who was making the footsteps was wearing a black cloak and gloves, and the face was completely covered, except for the eyes. The stranger was tall and slender, about as tall as Sly. Sly and Carmelita pointed there pistols at the stranger. In one of the stranger's hands was the headband that was taken from Ra's statue. It had silver wings on each end and had three different colored gems encrusted in the middle: the left one was blue, the right one was white, and the middle gem was yellow. That confirmed to Sly and Carmelita that the cloaked stranger was the robber.

"Okay, now that you have shown yourself, I suggest you put that headband down put your hands on your head." demanded Carmelita. The robber did not move a muscle. "Maybe you didn't hear my lovely wife, buddy. Put down the headband and we'll settle this at the police station." said Sly. The stranger finally talked back, and it was female. "Why Sly Cooper, I have never known you to be so forward. Nor did I expect you and Carm there to tie the knot. Guess times really have changed…for all of us!" Sly and Carmelita looked startled and confused. "Do we know you?" asked Sly.

The female robber then lowered her hood and shown her face to them. They had looks of extreme shock and disbelief! The person standing in front of them was someone they had never expected to see again. "YOU?!" exclaimed Carmelita in total surprise. Before they had a chance to react, the robber ran up to them and jump kicked them both in the heads! They lay on the ground, out cold. The stranger then put her hood back on and stood up in apparent triumph. "Nice. Phase one is complete. Now to get phase two underway…" She then raised the headband.

It emitted a blinding white light everywhere in the museum. When the light was gone, the female stranger had disappeared. And she took Sly and Carmelita with her. Not long afterward, the guards woke up with their chief standing above them. "I saw a flash of light from the inside and came to check on it. What happened in here?!" A chubby guard answered his superior. "Well sir, we were talking to the Cooper officers, and the then there was another black out. We were attacked again and fell down. We just came around, sir." The head security chief looked around.

"Where are the Coopers? Did they capture the robber?" They shook their heads. "We don't know sir…" "Wait sir! I know what happened!" The chief turned to a younger guard standing to his left. "Well, what did you see, kid?" He answered. "Well, I was the first to regain consciousness and saw the robber standing in front of the Coopers, holding the headband. I heard the robber talk in a female voice. I saw her lower her hood, but I couldn't see her face; my vision was still bleary. She then jump kicked the Coopers to the ground, apparently unprepared for such a quick strike. She said something about "completing phase one and moving on to phase two". The woman then raised the headband and a blinding light shined from it. When I could see again, the woman and the Coopers were gone."

The security chief shook his head. "This is very bad. Whoever stole the headband and kidnapped the Coopers is obviously very dangerous. You men better head on home; you took enough abuse for one night. I'll give Interpol a call, telling them that Sly and Carmelita Cooper are missing."

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Lieutenant Barkley hung up the phone after talking to the head of security at the museum. He couldn't believe it; his two finest officers were taken by some maniac with a hidden agenda. And it had something to do with that strange headband… He then got up, took his coat and opened his office door. _'Well, guess I better pay Michael a little visit. Poor boy, he is not going to like this._' he thought to himself as he closed the door behind him.


	2. Chapter 2 Michael's Interrogation

Hey. Hope you all enjoyed my first chapter, because the story is going to get even better! Here is chapter 2!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 2- Michael's Interrogation

It was 10:00 pm, and Michael Cooper was watching a Sci-Fi movie. He was quite a handsome young man. Although he has inherited his mother's fox like fur, he was technically a raccoon. He also has his father's eyes, as well as his habit of being very charming. This was made obvious during his last year in middle school. He was constantly putting the charm on all the ladies in the hope he could land himself a girlfriend. But alas, they keep shooting him down. _'Guess I'm not quite as good as my dad is.'_ he thought as he went home for the summer.

"But I'll do a lot better when I start high school, now that I got a few pointers from dad," said Michael with a smirk. Just when his movie had reached its climax, the front door to the house knocked. Michael, looking a little peeved from turning away from the most exciting part of his movie, muted the TV and got up to the door. "Mom, dad, is that you?" The voice that came from the door was not either of his parents. "Michael Cooper, this is Lieutenant Barkley, your parent's boss. May I come in and have a word with you?"

Puzzled, Michael opened the door and let Barkley entered. He turned to Michael. "I think you need to sit down." They both sat on the couch, the TV now turned off. Michael looked very nervous; he had never met Barkley before. "Mr. Barkley, sir, I don't know what my parents have said about me, but I'm telling you I didn't do anything illegal!" Barkley shook his head. "No, no, it's nothing like that. Your parents have told me that you are a nice boy with a good head on his shoulders. I've even heard you are a hit with the ladies." he said with a laugh. Michael grumbled a little.

The old badger then looked suddenly serious. "Actually, son, your parents are the reason why I'm here. Something has happened to them, and I think you should be the first to know." Michael looked at Barkley with surprise and worry. "What about my parents? What's happened to them?" Barkley took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, but your parents have been…taken." Now Michael was upset. "Taken?! But how?! Who took them?! Why?!"

"Take it easy, son, and I'll explain." Michael nodded and waited to hear what happened. "I sent your parents to investigate a museum robbery a few hours ago, and during that time, the robber caught them off guard and captured them. We don't know who took them or why. We don't even know how they disappeared without a trace, but all we know about the robber is that it was a woman." Michael, tears flowing out of his eyes, looked at him in anger. "I don't understand! Weren't there other policemen there to help them?!"

Barkley looked sad. "All the guards at the museum were knocked out by the robber before your parents vanished. No one else could have helped them, I'm sorry." At this point Michael covered his face with his hands, sobbing hard. Barkley got up. "Listen Michael, your parents were good people, and I promise you we will do everything in our power to find them and bring the kidnapper to justice. Now, do you have any relatives or friends you can stay with a while?" Michael looked up and nodded.

"Alright then, I suggest you give them a call and ask them to take you in for a while. Everything will be okay, alright?" The young raccoon nodded again as Barkley got up and headed for the door. "I have to get back to the office. I'll let you know if we find anything, okay?" "Alright, sir." said an upset Michael. "Well then, good night Michael. Take care." He was about to close the door behind him when Michael asked him one more question. "Sir, are you sure you don't know anything else about what happened in that museum? There had to be at least one witness, right?"

The badger looked strangely uncomfortable and shifted his position, as if he had something else to say, but he couldn't say it. "Well…there was one museum guard who saw the whole incident. His name is Sam Wells, a rooky. However, what he saw was considered classified by Interpol. I can't tell you anything regarding that matter. Good night, son." Barkley then closed the door, leaving Michael alone with his thoughts.

_'My mom and my dad…kidnapped! And the police don't know who took them! Or do they?'_ Michael sat down on the couch again, pondering what Barkley said. _'He told me he can't say anything because it was classified.' _Despite that he was very upset about his parents, Michael suddenly smirked._ ' Sam Wells, huh? Maybe I should pay him a little visit in his home tonight…'_ Michael immediately went into the kitchen and found the phonebook. He quickly found Sam's address. After he memorized it, he picked up the nearby phone and called some old friends of his dad.

Unfortunately, he got an answer machine instead. _'Darn! I'll just leave a message and try again later…after my trip to Mr. Wells.'_ His message explained that what happened to Sly and Carmelita and asked them to get to the house as quickly as possible. After hanging up, he went into his father's room, picked up his dad's old master thief outfit (which by a miracle fit Michael) and a mask that covered his whole face. He put them on and headed out into the night.

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Sam Wells, a 20-year old bear, had just finished his classified report for Interpol and went to get himself a cup of coffee. He still couldn't believe what he saw in that museum; it was just too unbelievable. He took a sip and went back to his office/room. When closed the door behind him and turned in front again, he immediately froze. There was someone in the room waiting for him. Wells couldn't see who it was, for the lights were broken by the stranger and he was completely in the shadows.

"Hello, Mr. Wells. What do you say we have a chat?" the stranger said in a masked voice. Wells was about to reach for his gun, but the intruder jumped in front of him and held a knife to his throat. "Uh-uh-uhh." he said while shaking his head. The young bear stood stock still, with his hands up. "Who are you?! What do you want from me?!" The intruder looked at him with anger. "Sit down, please." Wells immediately sat down on the chair beside him. The masked man took another chair and sat down, so that they were eye-level.

"Now then, let's get down to business. You saw what happened in the museum when it was robbed, didn't you?" The young officer looked stunned by this statement, but nodded his head nonetheless. "Now, I would like for you to tell me what it was that you've seen. And I suggest that you tell me quickly, before I lose my patience." Wells nodded again with fear in his eyes.

"Well, I was just waking from the robber's attack; it was while the lights were out. Somehow, all the lights, cameras, and security systems were disabled. I saw the robber standing in front of 2 Interpol officers, while holding the stolen item; an ancient looking headband." The man interrupted. "Who were the 2 officers standing in front of the robber?" "They were Sly and Carmelita Cooper. They were sent to investigate the robbery." The man allowed Wells to continue.

"The robber was a woman, judging by her voice." "Did she say anything?" "She said something about "Sly marrying Carmelita was the last thing she expected him to do." I don't know what that was about, but I know what that when she took off her hood, the Coopers looked shocked. I think that she may be someone they knew..." The masked man held the knife closer to Wells' throat. "This woman, did you see what she looked like?" Wells shook his head.

"I don't know; I was behind the thief when I woke up, so I couldn't see her face. Before the Coopers could do anything else, she attacked them and lay on the floor, out cold. She put her hood back on and said something about "completing phase 1 and moving on to phase 2." The robber then raised the headband up and I saw this blinding light. It lasted for a few seconds, and then the robber and the Coopers were all gone. The headband had also vanished. I was told to keep all this information classified; no one should know those details about that incident."

They were both silent for a moment, and Wells got the nerve to speak again. "Look pal, I don't know who you are but I swear I will…" The man put the knife's tip on the Well's neck; just barely touching it, but not enough to make it bleed. "You will tell NO ONE about our little chat, got it?! Now before I leave, I have one more question for you: What do you know about this "ancient headband" the woman thief had stolen?"

Wells shook his head in fear. "I don't know. I know _nothing _about that headband!" "Liar! Now tell me the truth!" "It _is_ the truth, man! I don't know about that headband anymore than I know the woman's identity!" Suddenly, Wells and the masked man heard footsteps heading their way. The man turned back to Wells. "Guess our conversation is over, Mr. Wells. Remember, tell no one about me, not even Interpol! Got it?" He nodded as the man opened the window and jumped out, vanishing from sight.

When the bedroom door opened, it was Sally, Sam's college girlfriend. She looked concerned. "Sam, honey, I heard you shouting while I was downstairs. Is everything alright, baby?" Sam looked at her, then to the window, and back to her again. "Oh, it…was nothing. I…just fell asleep while I was getting my paper work done. I just woke up from a nightmare, that's all." But what had just happened was no nightmare, and he knew it.

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Back at the Cooper house, Michael had just returned through his bedroom window. His night time interrogation with Wells worked perfectly. _'I was over doing it a bit, but hey, it got all the info I needed. I just wish I knew what the deal was with that strange headband, and how my parents knew the woman who had stolen it…'_ He took off his mask and thief outfit and laid them on the bed. He was on his way to the kitchen when he saw a huge shadow coming from the kitchen.

Michael instinctively tip toed his way to the kitchen and jumped the intruder. He wrapped his arms around his neck and tried to force him to fall, but the guy was big and apparently strong; he easily knocked Michael off and onto the floor. When the strong man turned, he gasped. "Michael! Is that you who just tried to strangle me?" Michael recognized the voice instantly. "Uncle Murray?! What are you doing here?" They heard another voice from the kitchen.

"He is here the same reason I'm here, Michael: To help you find your parents. But first, let me turn on some lights!" The lights in the house were on and there, in front of Michael, were Sly's best friends: Murray, a big pink hippo who was very strong and loved to kick butt, and Bentley, a super-smart turtle confined in a tricked-out wheelchair. "Why were you sneaking around, sport?" asked Bentley. Michael got up and apologized. "Sorry guys, I just thought I would be the only one here. But what about you two?"

"Well, we got your message and got here in a flash." said Murray, while munching on some ham. "While Murray has been _snacking_, I've been doing some hacking. I've set up my trusty laptop in the living room and had some cookies. I was just about to focus the satellite on the museum robbery when you snuck up on Murray." said Bentley. Michael then looked very relieved. "Man, I am so glad you came here. I really…wait a minute, Uncle Bentley. Did you say you were focusing a satellite?"

The turtle nodded. "That's right, kiddo. A few years back, your Aunt Penelope and I have built our own satellite and launched it into space without anyone knowing about. It was designed to be completely invisible to radar and other satellites that might spot it; basically, it's an _invisible_ satellite. Penelope and I use it to keep track of all robberies all across the globe. We called it the _Infiltrator_." Michael was impressed. "Sounds sweet, but how is this satellite going to help us find my parents?"

"I'm glad you've asked," said Bentley enthusiastically. "The _Infiltrator_ has a built-in alarm sensor so powerful, that it can pick up alarms from any store on the planet like banks, jewelry stores, museums, etc. When the museum in Paris was broken into, _Infiltrator_ picked it up right away. I was going into what it found before I was interrupted." Michael again apologized. Murray, after finishing his ham, asked Michael why he wasn't here when they arrived. He chuckled nervously before he told them of his "nighttime stroll."

When he was done, Bentley and Murray were surprised. "Unfortunately, that was all I could get out of the guy before I had to go. What do guys think about this?" Bentley thought about it. "What you've told me is very interesting. Sly and Carmelita knew the thief, and they vanished in a flash of light, coming from that old headband. I'll have to do some research on it, but for right now, let's get back to my laptop, shall we?"

They walked into the living room and Bentley got back to his laptop. On its small screen was a picture of the roof of the Paris museum. "Okay Michael, watch this." Michael and Murray watched as the picture zoomed in more and more, until it right past it; the actual inside of the museum was visible. "Cool, how did you do that?" asked Michael. Bentley turned to him. "The _Infiltrator_ also has a built in X-Ray camera to see inside the buildings that have been robbed. That way, we can see the robbery in its entirety! We'll be able to see the robber, what items they took, how they got away…you name it, the satellite's got it!" Bentley finished with pride in his voice.

"Awesome!" said Murray. "Well, what are we waiting for Uncle Bentley? Let's see who took my mom and dad!" Bentley nodded. "Alright, all I need to do is get the camera in the crime scene about five minutes before the big vanishing act. This will take a second." They watched as Bentley got the camera where it was supposed to be; in the Egyptian exhibit looking down from above. It was right at the moment Sly and Carmelita walked in. "Now I will let the camera play out what happened. Let's be quiet now and watch."

The camera began playing out the whole event again in front of their eyes. They saw the lights go out, heard the guards screaming, and then the lights came back on. When the robber appeared and took off her hood, Bentley froze the screen. "Okay, this is it: the face of the robber/kidnapper. Just a few clicks of a button, and…" The moment the face of the thief was revealed, Bentley and Murray gasped. Michael turned to them; they were both shocked, but Bentley was the one who was pale in the face.

"No…I…I don't BELIEVE it!! It's…just…impossible!!" said the very stunned turtle, not knowing what to think. Murray was just as dumbstruck. "But it can't be! I thought she was dead!" Michael looked confused. "Uncle Bentley, Uncle Murray, what's wrong? Who is that woman?" All three turned back to the screen, which showed a picture of a light purple colored female tiger with dark purple marks on her face. She also had emerald eyes and long black hair. Bentley turned to face Michael. "Michael…that woman…the one who took your parents…is an old enemy of theirs…and her name is…" he hesitated before saying the name.

"Neyla."

Note: This is the "corrected" version of chapter 2. I'm sorry about writing that Neyla was a panther, not a tiger. Also, I want to mention to all my reviewers that a horrible tragedy had occured on early Monday morning. A very disturbed senior student at Virginia Tech College shot and killed 32 people (students AND teachers) before killing himself. This was the worst school shooting massacure in US history. I hope that you will give your thoughts and prayers to all the family and friends of the victims of this incident.


	3. Chapter 3 The Greek Encounter

Hey. Time for chapter 3! I know I made some mistakes, but I will try not to repeat them. Here we go!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 3- The Greek Encounter

Michael was staring at his uncles in confusion. "Who is Neyla?" Bentley turned to Murray, then back at Michael. "Well, it's a long story. Back when your parents were still on opposite sides of the law, your father and the two of us went to steal the pieces of his old enemy, Clockwerk. When Sly got to the room where the parts were supposed to be, they were gone. Your mom was there to greet him, along with her new partner: Constable Neyla."

"She was one BAD tigress," said Murray. "She made us believe she was on our side, even she was with Carmelita. She helped us out on several jobs behind your mom's back. But when your dad was injured in the fight against Rajan, Neyla took your mom, dad, and me into custody. Only Bentley managed to avoid getting caught."

Bentley took over from there. "From that day onward, we knew that Neyla couldn't be trusted by anyone! It took a little work, but I managed to free your parents and Murray from the their prison and got back on track. Unfortunately, your mom was on the run because of Neyla. Sly knew that in order to clear her name, Neyla would have to go down. But we had to find the Clockwerk parts first.

"We discovered that Neyla had been working with the Klaww Gang, and their boss, Arpeggio, to collect and resemble Clockwerk. Arpeggio wanted Clockwerk's body not only to be able to fly (which was impossible in his natural body), but also wanted the immortality the body provided by all the hate inside its core. When he was about to enter the Clockwerk body, Neyla pushed down the disabled bird and took the body for herself; she wanted the immortality in Clockwerk too. Neyla then squashed Arpeggio and flew off.

"With the combined teamwork of your parents, me, and Murray, we took down Neyla and Clockwerk fell to pieces again. We then found the source of Clockwerk's immortality, the Hate Chip. Your mother then crushed the chip, ending Clockwerk's life and threat forever, as well as Neyla. At least, I _thought_ we did…" When the story telling was over, Michael was lost in thought. After a moment, he turned to Bentley again. "I don't understand. If Neyla is supposed to be dead, how come she isn't?" The turtle shook his head.

"Honestly, I have no idea how Neyla could have survived that battle. Nor do I know where she has been hiding all these years, or how come she hasn't aged at all." He looked at Michael with a serious face. "All we know is that Neyla _is_ alive and she has your parents captive somewhere. I promise you, we will find them. Right, Murray?" He turned to the hippo, now munching on a cupcake. "Yeah, we'll find them no matter what, little guy. Your parents are tough people; they can handle anything." Hearing those words made Michael feel better.

Bentley put his hand on the young raccoon's shoulder. "Listen, it has been a long night. Why don't you get some rest, okay? We'll start searching for Neyla and your parents in the morning." Michael nodded. "Alright, I'll see ya guys in the morning. Good night." Michael walked up the stairs to his room, got on his pajamas, and went straight to sleep.

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"Michael, get up! Wake up sleepy head! Bentley's got big news!" Michael shot out of bed like a cannonball. Murray was yelling so loud that he sounded like a foghorn with max volume. Panting, Michael turned to his Uncle Murray with annoyance. "Good grief, Uncle Murray! You nearly scared me out of my PJ's!" _'One of these days, I need to get a nice alarm clock like everybody else.'_ The big hippo apologized. After calming down, Michael asked him what the big news is. "Oh, you'll love this! Bentley says he has found a way to track down Neyla!" Excited, Michael quickly got on a red t-shirt and fresh new blue jeans from his closet before going down to the living room. Bentley was there on his laptop again with a huge smirk on his face.

"Good morning, Michael. As Murray had probably already told you, I have found a method to find our elusive tigress. Take a look at the monitor." Michael stepped towards the monitor and saw the museum in which Neyla took his parents, but it looked all red with a stream of gold particles. "What's this?" Bentley turned to him. "I'm glad that you asked. What you see is the Paris museum in infrared light. Those gold particles you see are what I would like to call "Neyla's trail." The spot where the particles are coming from is the exact same position she was standing on when she disappeared."

Michael didn't know whether to be impressed, or totally confused (computers and technology were never his specialties). He decided to just play along. "Cool, but where did all those particles come from? And how did you come up with this?" Bentley turned back to the monitor. "Since about 7:00 this morning, I have been trying to find out how Neyla vanished without a trace. The camera in my satellite didn't see her leaving the building, and she left no clue as to where she might have gone; at least not by normal means. See, I came up with an interesting idea. Nothing can be seen in the crime scene normally, but then when I put turned the screen in infrared, I found her "tracks."

"As for where they came from, I believe those particles were left behind when Neyla used that strange headband she had stolen. Obviously, that headband has mystical powers and it left traces of its magic." Michael looked dumbstruck. "Magic? You serious?!" The turtle nodded. "Let's just say that it wouldn't be the first time we encountered powerful magic. Anyway, now that we know this, I can use the _Infiltrator's_ infrared camera to locate anymore traces of these particles…" "And they'll lead us right to Neyla and my parents! Uncle Bentley, you're a genius!" Bentley lazily stretched out his arms and smiled. "Yep, that's they say about me."

Suddenly, Bentley's laptop started beeping. The monitor then changed from the museum to another location: Greece. "Hello! Looks like we found our tigress. According to the satellite's camera, more of those mystic particles have just appeared in Athens, Greece. But what would Neyla want there?" Michael looked determined now. "Who cares? As long as we know where she is, we can get her!" Murray came in and heard them. "But how can we get there before she vanishes again? Even the old team van can't go that fast!" Bentley turned to Michael and Murray.

"No problem. The _Infiltrator_ wasn't the only project Penelope and I had been working on this past decade. Take a look in the basement." Puzzled, Michael ran down to the basement and his jaw dropped. There was huge machine that looked a high-tech cylinder. Bentley and Murray came down behind the raccoon and Bentley stopped in front of the machine. "This is another technological masterpiece: The _Deliverer_. It is a teleportor powered by a nuclear battery we "borrowed" from some friends in Thailand. It can send you to any location on the planet, as long as you type in the proper coordinates in the keypad here." He pointed to a keypad on the right side of the cylinder. This time, Michael was _definitely_ impressed.

"Awesome! This is great! Next stop, Athens!" But before Michael can reach the keypad, Bentley got in front of him. "Whoa! Wait a second! We still don't know what she's planning. It could be very dangerous! You can't go there…" But Michael cut him off. "Look, I know that mom and dad wanted you and Uncle Murray to look after me if anything happened to them, but I can't stand here and do nothing while I have a chance to find my parents. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a big boy. I can handle myself out there. Now let me through!" Bentley looked taken off guard.

"I know you're not a defenseless child, Michael, don't get me wrong. What I was going to say is that you can't go there without the "proper attire"."

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Inside a closed off cave many feet below Athens, Neyla was standing in front of a priceless ivory and gold statue in front of her, a statue that had been lost for centuries. It looked like a tall, strong eagle wearing a white toga. The monument had long white hair and a huge, strong beard of the same color. In it's right hand, it held what looked like a thunderbolt. Neyla was staring at the statue with a hungry look in her eyes. "Yes, there you are. So this is where you have been all these long years. Soon, you and your power will be mine…Zeus." As she stepped closer to the statue, a flash of blue light appeared behind her. Startled, she turned around.

It was Michael, dressed in his dad's old outfit and holding his old cane. He stared at Neyla with resolve and confidence. Neyla stared back at him. "Who are you? How did you find this place?" Michael took a step towards her. "The name is Michael Cooper. I believe you know my parents, Neyla? You know, the people you captured?" The tigress looked shocked. "I wasn't aware that Sly and Carmelita had a son. Come to think of it, I do see a resemblance. I am also surprised that you discovered that it was me who captured them; no one was supposed to know about me. No matter, your parents are going to be part of something big and special. I won't let a snobby little punk like you get in my way!"

Neyla took out her whip and attacked Michael with it. The young raccoon's cane got caught in it, but as Neyla tried to pull it away, Michael was holding on while yawning with boredom. "You gotta pull harder than that!" Enraged, Neyla doubled her efforts. This is what Michael had been waiting for, to use her strength as leverage. The moment Neyla tugged harder than before, Michael jumped towards her and whacked her with his cane! While Neyla was still stunned, Michael attacked her with several punches to the face, a strong side kick to the head, and he finished his assault with a nice head butt! She was knocked in front of the Zeus statue, and she looked really pissed.

Michael looked at her with a huge smirk. "I learned all that from my mom. Dad, however, taught me to be charming to a lady." He looked at her with total dislike. "This time, I don't he'll mind if I just kicked your evil butt. Now tell me, where are my parents?" Neyla turned her head to the statue, and then back to Michael. She was smiling. "Obviously, I underestimated you. A mistake I will not allow to happen twice." She then took out a familiar item from the bag she was carrying, the headband. "As for your parents, you will join them soon enough…in the afterlife." Neyla then lifted it up towards the statue. It had started to glow white. Michael thought she was going to disappear. "Oh no you don't! You're not getting away this time!" He started to run towards her, but the white light became so bright that he couldn't see a thing.

When the light vanished, Michael saw that Neyla was still there. However, the statue of Zeus wasn't the same; it had lost all of its color and looked weak. It looked as if the life had been sucked out of that amazing work of art. Neyla turned back to Michael with a look of triumph on her face. She now placed the headband on her head. "Michael Cooper, I have just taken one step closer to my ultimate goal!" Michael was starting to get nervous now. "What _ultimate goal_?" The evil feline smiled deviously. "You will know soon enough, if you survive this!" Neyla held out her right hand and a thunderbolt appeared, ready to throw! Michael was shocked! _'A thunderbolt?! How did she make it appear? And is it real?'_ Neyla seemed to read his mind.

"I suppose you are wondering how this is possible? It is simple: I have the power of Zeus, the Greek God of Thunder and ruler of Mount Olympus." Now Michael was really in the dark. Neyla explained. "You see Michael, the headband I stole from the museum in Paris has powerful magic. It can capture three certain gods and trap them inside itself, and I just now captured the almighty Zeus. That is why his statue looks so pathetic; his life force was sealed inside it when the statue was constructed. The god of thunder himself is trapped in the white gem on the headband. His power is now mine to do as I please!" The young raccoon didn't look so confident anymore. "If all that mumbo jumbo is true, who are the other 2 gods you plan to capture? What do they have to do with my parents?" Neyla just smiled. "I said too much already. Time to say goodbye!"

The evil tigress then threw her thunderbolt at Michael! The raccoon didn't have time to dodge. There was a huge explosion in the cave that rocked the city of it. When the smoke cleared…there was nothing left of the person standing at the center of it. Neyla laughed maniacally. "Good riddance. That kid was just as meddling as his parents are. Too bad I had to kill him, he seemed just as charming as Sly…oh well, time to move on. Now no one can stop me." She laughed again as she her headband glowed again and disappeared. Meanwhile, the planets in the solar system are beginning to line up…

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 4 The Legend

Okay, I hope you all weren't pissed off at me for what happened to Michael in the last chapter. But if you were, I'm sorry. C'mon, you guys know me better than that! To know whether or not he got zapped, you have to read Chapter 4, which starts right now!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 4- The Legend

Sly and Carmelita were locked in an ancient looking dungeon at an unknown location, trying to figure a way out. Their cell was square shaped, sand colored, and no window to the outside. Escape, however, was not the only thing on their minds. Carmelita turned to Sly as he was examining the cell door, which was solid rock. "I don't understand, Sly. How could Neyla be alive after all this time?" Sly turned to his confused wife, also looking puzzled. "I'm just as stumped as you are, Gorgeous. It just doesn't seem possible for her to survive that battle all those years ago…" "Yet it's true that I have returned from the grave, and I intend to do to you what you've _tried_ to do to me." Sly and Carmelita turned to face Neyla, who had just now come down the stairs.

Neyla smiled as she stared at the imprisoned couple. "I've come to check on you two, and I am pleased you are still here; not that you could go anywhere." Sly and Carmelita scowled as the tigress laughed. The fox told her to shut up, but Neyla didn't flinch. "You never could control your temper, Carmelita. If seeing me alive again made you _this_ mad, then hearing your dear son's fate would definitely piss you off even more…" Her statement shocked Sly and Carmelita. "Michael? What are you talking about?" Sly demanded her. She shrugged. "I was completing the next step in my ultimate plan when your brat showed up right out of the blue! Somehow, he found out about me and tried to stop me. Although he put up a fight, he _never_ stood a chance against me."

Carmelita looked very worried and madder than ever. "What did you do to our son, you witch?!" The tigress turned to her and smiled evilly. "Let's just say that after I was done with him, there was only a big scorch mark in the middle of the floor." Sly and Carmelita looked completely devastated. "I'll leave you two alone with your thoughts. We will have another chat soon, and it will not be a pleasant one." Neyla then turned and walked away. Carmelita had leaned back against the wall, put her face in her hands and started crying very hard. Sly, feeling just as upset as she was, went to hold her. She then wrapped her arms around him and cried into his shoulder. "Oh Sly!! How…how could this have…our son is…Michael is…" She completely broke down and cried very loudly.

Sly held her tight and patted her back, comforting her. "Don't you dare believe a word Neyla said, sweet heart. She's just trying to rattle our cages. Michael is still alive…I can feel it." His wife lifted his head to face him. "You…really (sniff)…think so?" she asked in a weak voice. Her husband looked sure. "I know so." Carmelita smiled as she hugged him very tight. Sly was hugging her back, while not knowing if their son was really alive or not. _'I wish I was as sure as I sounded.'_ He continued to hold Carmelita, while a tear rolled down his face.

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The next thing that Michael saw, he was standing inside the _Deliverer_ in the basement, and Bentley and Murray were standing in front of him. They were happy to see him again. Surprised and confused, Michael turned to his uncles. "Whoa, what the hell just happened?" Bentley was the one that answered him. "Well, when Neyla lifted the headband at that statue, the laptop went all static on me! I had to bring you back ASAP, but I had trouble locking on to you; there was so much interference. I had just managed to get you back here before I lost your heat signature." The young raccoon looked relieved. "Thanks a lot for saving my butt, Uncle Bentley."

The turtle smiled. "No problem, Michael. But tell me, what happened when Neyla used the headband?" Michael then told him and Murray everything that Neyla said, and what she almost did to him. "So you see, if you hadn't teleported me back when you did, I would've been fried!" Bentley and Murray looked shocked. "Wow, Neyla threw lightning?! I don't believe it!" Murray said in disbelief. Michael shook his head frustratingly. "Yeah, me neither. But it did happen." "Somehow the headband, the power of Zeus and the 2 other gods Neyla are after, and your parents are all connected. How they fit, I don't know." Bentley said in conclusion. Suddenly, Michael punched his fist into the wall, yelling in anger.

"I was _so_ close to finding my parents!! I had Neyla right where I wanted her! Then she decides to go "God Mode" and tried to zap me! Man, this is just not my day!" Murray put a hand on Michael's shoulder. "Hey, its not the end of the world. We're not giving on your parents, Michael, not by a long shot!" Michael smiled. "Thanks Uncle Murray, I appreciate it." Bentley approached him. "Look, Michael, why don't you go get yourself some breakfast? You haven't taken a bite since you got up this morning. I'm sure you're starving." At that moment, Michael's stomach growled. He chuckled a little. "Yeah, I guess I better." He, Murray, and Bentley left the basement and went back up to the kitchen.

A few hours later, they had finished their meals and went back to the living room. Bentley had immediately got to work on finding research for Neyla's headband, which was taking a while. Michael was pacing the room, becoming more and more impatient. "How much longer is it going to take? Every minute that we sit here doing squat, Neyla is doing who knows what to my mom and dad!" Bentley turned to him. "Calm down, Michael. I'm working as fast as I can. Research takes time and patience." Michael continued his relentless pacing for another half hour, when he heard Bentley yelled triumphantly. "Buya! Michael, come here! I found what we were looking for." An excited Michael ran to his uncle's side.

"Great! So, what did you find?" Bentley answered him in just one word: "Goldmine." "Huh?" Michael asked. "I have been searching the Internet for hours, and I could not find a hint of information about that headband; it's like a complete mystery. Then, I remember an old contact of mine in Cairo, Egypt. He is an expert in all kinds of mythology, especially Egyptian mythology. If anyone could possibly know a thing about that headband, it would be him. We chat on Thiefnet from time to time, so I thought I'd ask him about the headband. After I gave him a thorough description of it and what I learned from you, Michael, he told me he knew _precisely_ what I was talking about. Although, he didn't seem too happy talking about it."

"Why not?" he asked. "Well, according to him, there is ancient legend about that headband. He said that the reason there is no information about the headband is because the people who found it refuse to speak of it, like it was cursed or something. He was one of those people who found it, and he swore to never _publicly _speak of it. He saw me as an exception." "Is it cursed?" Bentley shook his head. "No, but the legend was so terrible that he felt lucky that it wasn't true. When I told him of what the headband did, he nearly fainted. After some persuasion, he told me everything he knew about the headband." Michael nodded. "Okay, so what's the legend?"

Bentley took a deep breath as both Michael and Murray listened. "The legend is that the headband, called the _Immortal Crown_, was crafted by the Norse God of Mischief, Loki. He made the crown to steal the power from not only his stepfather, Odin, but from the other sovereign gods, Zeus of Greece and Ra of Egypt. He constructed it using jewels created from their own kingdoms. Those jewels would ensnare the gods of those gems's origin and all their power. With the power of all three ruling gods, Loki would become the most powerful immortal in the cosmos. He attempted to steal Odin's power first, but Loki was defeated by an unexpected visitor." "Who?" Michael asked. Bentley smiled. "Slytankhamen I."

Michael and Murray's jaws dropped, big time! "No way!! One of _my_ ancestors stopped Loki?! You gotta be kidding!" The turtle shook his head again. "No, kiddo, I'm not kidding. As I was saying, Slytankhamen was informed by Ra that Loki was up to no good at Asgard, thanks to one of his contacts there. Ra had sent Slytankhamen to Asgard and found Loki attempting to take Odin's power. Slytankhamen fought the God of Mischief with a powerful weapon given to him by Shangdi, the sovereign Chinese God and friend of the other gods, and defeated him. Odin punished Loki for his attempt for power, most severely I might add. The 3 sovereign gods were so grateful to Slytankhamen for stopping Loki, they granted him a wife, thereby starting the Cooper Family Line. He was satisfied and happy with her."

Michael was beginning to like this legend; he couldn't see anything bad about it! "That is one _awesome_ legend! What the heck is so terrible about it?" Bentley's smile vanished. "The terrible part is that Loki secretly put a curse on Slytankhamen for his defeat. From the day that he had his first child, Loki's curse would make every member of the Cooper Family a master thief. They would become disrespectful of the law and be unable to stop when started." Michael then became very depressed. "Loki…is the reason…that my dad, my grandfather, and all the other Coopers…became thieves?" Bentley nodded. "Sorry Michael, but that is how the legend goes. You know what they say: No good deed goes unpunished." Michael was still slightly upset, but he knew that history couldn't be changed.

"If that legend was true, does that mean that…_I_ will become a thief too?" Although Michael was fascinated by his parent's stories, he never actually wanted to be a master thief someday; he wanted to be cop, like his mom. Bentley shrugged. "I don't know. Only you can decide your future." "Yeah Michael, don't let some curse bring you down. You don't have to be a thief if you don't want too. Just do what you love and stick with it." Murray said in encouragement. Michael smiled at them and felt better. He then thought of a question. "Uncle Bentley, you said that Slytankhamen used some weapon to defeat Loki. Did the legend say what the weapon was?" Bentley said no. "Sorry pal, but that part of the legend was lost. Even my contact didn't know what it was. But he _did_ know that the weapon was so powerful, that it can only be used as a last resort."

Michael then thought of something. "If that headband is real, that means that Shangdi's weapon has too be real too. If we can find the weapon, I could use it to defeat Neyla. So what if she has Zeus' power? So what if she will get the power of Odin and Ra? I'll just fight fire with fire!" Bentley smiled. "I appreciate your enthusiasm, but there is another part of the legend I haven't mentioned yet." Michael looked at him confidently. "Yeah, and what part is that?" Bentley answered with nervousness. "The _Immortal Crown_'s power is only active every 300 years. Before his defeat, Loki designed a ritual for a mortal to steal the god's power…and keep it. This was incase he failed. The details of how the ritual was performed are unknown, but I do know that the ritual must be performed the moment the planets line up, and it just so happens that the planets are lining up as we speak. According to my calculations from the _Infiltrator_, they will reach perfect alignment in exactly 2 weeks from now."

Michael and Murray gasped. "2 weeks?! That's not much time! We need to find that weapon ASAP!" Michael said. Bentley and Murray agreed. "I couldn't agree more. Let's see, we are going to look for a weapon created by Shangdi, the sovereign god of China. I think, in China, we will find a lead to the weapon's whereabouts." Murray looked ecstatic. "Oh boy! Road Trip! I'll get my bags!" He then went upstairs to pack. Smiling, Michael and Bentley were thinking the same thing. "Well, what are we waiting for? Next stop: China!"


	5. Chapter 5 Jade

Okay, time to move on! Here is Chapter 5. Enjoy!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 5- Jade

Beijing, China. Day 1: It took several hours and very convincing disguises, but Michael and his uncles have finally arrived in Beijing, China. It is here they will begin their quest to find Shangdi's mysterious weapon and free Michael's parents. After their arrival, they found an old apartment building and used it as their "Safe House." It was cozy; there were three bedrooms, a kitchen, two bathrooms, and a living room complete with satellite TV. Michael and Murray helped Bentley install the _Deliverer _in his closet; there was just enough room for it there. Once they were settled in, Bentley had set up his laptop and got to work. He had decided to contact an old ally to help them before leaving Paris, instructing him to meet them at the chosen Safe House. He didn't have to wait long; someone knocked on the door and asked to come in.

To be sure it was who they think it was, Bentley had to ask him a question only he could answer. "Which section of the Thievius Raccoonus did you steal take the night that Sly's father was killed?" The visitor answered immediately. "The section that contained vehicle blueprints from Otto Von Cooper." Satisfied with the answer, Bentley let him inside. It was their old ally, Panda King. He looked a little older than the last time they saw him, but he was still a force to be reckoned with. He smiled at his friends. "Hello Bentley, Murray, and young Michael." He bowed to each of them respectfully. They did the same in return. "I am glad to see you all again. It has been too long since our last meeting." He then turned to Michael.

"I am deeply sorry about your parents, young one. It troubles me greatly that they are being held hostage by a ruthless enemy. I will do all I can to help." Michael smiled at him. "Thanks Panda King." The big bear turned to face Bentley. "Now, Bentley, what is your reason for needing my assistance?" The turtle told him about the legend and about Shangdi's weapon. Panda King looked thoughtful. "I see; this is more disturbing than I thought. We do not have much time to waste. Fortunately, I know quite a bit about Chinese mythology." "That's great, because we need an Chinese mythologist right now." said Michael. "Do you know what Shangdi's powerful weapon is, maybe even where it is?" The Panda King shook his head.

"No, I am just as in the dark about this as you are." Michael bent his head down in disappointment. Panda King put a hand on his shoulder, smiling. "However, I know _how _the weapon can be found." The young raccoon looked up again, smiling also. "Really? How?" Panda King looked into his eyes. "The Zodiac Gems." Everyone listened with awe. "They are 12 gemstones, each resembling an animal from the Chinese Zodiac. According to myth, the weapon is in an ancient hidden chamber. When brought together, the Zodiac Gems show the location of Shangdi's weapon. They are also the keys to unlock the door leading into the chamber." Murray asked a question. "Awesome! Where are they?"

The big panda shook his head again. "Unfortunately, the Zodiac Gems are hidden as well." Michael swore loudly and banged his fist on the table. "Man, that's just our luck! The weapon is hidden, and the keys to finding it are hidden too. Is there anything that we can use to find them that _isn't_ hidden?!" Panda King nodded this time, and spoke patiently. "Yes, there is. There is a map that leads to the location of each Zodiac Gem. Slytankhamen himself wrote it. He made the map incase the weapon was needed again, and the gems to be found to unlock it." "Do you know where this map is, Panda King?" Michael asked hopefully. The old bear smiled.

"The map is currently in the National Museum of China, located right here in Beijing. It can be found in the room where old maps and documents are displayed." Michael looked ecstatic. "Sweet!" Murray interrupted. "How are we going to get the map? I don't think the museum guys would let us borrow it for a while." "You're right, Murray, they won't." Bentley replied. He thought about it for a bit, and then turned to Michael. "Sorry sport, but the only way to get the map…is to steal it." Michael looked repulsive. "Steal it! No, I won't do that. There's got to be another way." Panda King looked confused. Bentley explained that Michael doesn't want to follow in his dad's footsteps as a master thief. He nodded in understandingly.

"You wish to follow your own path. I admire you for that, Michael. But this is the only path that can be taken to get the map. You are like your mother: Everything is black and white to you; there is no gray in your point of view. However, not everything is not as straightforward as you believe. Sometimes you must do what is right, even if it goes against everything you believe in. This is one of those times. Will you do this for your parents, Michael?" They all looked at him, waiting for his answer. He thought about it long and hard. _'I don't like the idea of stealing anything, its just wrong. I was raised to respect the law, not to disregard it like a piece of trash. What would Mom and Dad say if they were here? _Michael stood on this thought a bit, and realized what they would have said. _'They would tell me to do what I can to save them. And that's exactly what I will do.'_ He turned to the others and smiled. "Alright guys, what's the plan?"

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National Museum of China, 10:00 pm: Michael was dressed in his dad's attire again with his cane. He was also wearing the same mask he wore when he "visited" Sam Wells; his face was completely covered. It was blue, just like his clothes. He was standing on the roof of the museum, waiting for instructions from Bentley. "Boy Scout, this is Smart Guy. Do you copy?" Michael put his hand on the receiver in his right ear. "Boy Scout here. I'm about to move in to get the map. Show me the way." Back at the Safe House, Bentley smiled. _'He's starting to sound like his old man.'_ "Okay, there should be a vent a little to your left. You should be able to fit inside no problem." "Rodger that, Smart Guy." Michael moved to the left side of the building. He found the vent; a big square that was big enough for him.

He broke the vent open with his cane. He then crawled inside it as he put his hand on the receiver again. "Smart Guy, I'm in the vent. Which way to the Documents Display?" "Go straight for a few meters, then make a right at the fork. From there, take a left, another right, and you should be right on top of it." "Gotcha, Smart Guy. I'll report back when I'm in the room." Michael then proceeded through the vent in the directions given to him. As he crawled, he thought about how his dad felt when he did this in his day. _'It must have felt natural to him. I, on the other hand, am a little claustrophobic. The sooner I get out of this vent system, the better I'll be.'_ After 5 minutes of crawling, he found that he was atop the room with the documents. He looked down the opening and saw security lasers all over the floor.

"Dang it. Smart Guy, you still with me?" Bentley replied back. "All the way, pal. What's you're status?" "Well, I'm right above the documents room, but the problem is that the floor is covered in laser beams. If I step down there, guards will be all over me in a matter of minutes." Bentley thought for a moment on the issue. "No problem. I'll just hack into the security systems and shut down the lasers. Just give me a couple of minutes." Michael waited in the stuffy vents while Bentley hacked away. True to his word, a few minutes later, the lasers disappeared. Michael smiled. "Smart Guy, the lasers are gone. Nice work." "Thanks Boy Scout. Now go get that map."

Michael carefully opened the vent cover and jumped down to the floor; it was 10 ft below. He landed quite silently, like a real thief. He contacted Bentley again. "Smart Guy, I'm in." He then began searching for the map. It was a big room; there were old papers and maps everywhere. Michael saw one that looked like it could be over 200 hundred years old. "Man, if I wasn't here to steal something, I'd like to look around a lot. This place is interesting." A few moments later, he found what he was looking for. He found a display that said: _This map was believed to have been written by Slytankhamen, the first Cooper. Although this map was supposed to lead to legendary treasure, no one has been able to decipher its writings. _

The map definitely looked ancient, probably more ancient than the other papers in this room. Michael got Bentley on the line once more. "Boy Scout to Smart Guy, I've found the map. Are there any security systems for its display case?" "Nope, all security at your position has been deactivated." Thanking him, he proceeded to remove the case. He did it very carefully to not make any noise. Once the case was removed, he picked up the map with the utmost care. With the map in hand, Michael put it in his bag. Before he put the case back on, he left a note to where the map was. It said that the map would return when its purpose is fulfilled. _'Surely, the people here can understand that.'_ "Smart Guy, the switch has been made. I've got the map."

"That's great news, Boy Scout. Head back through the way you came in and bring that map back here for analysis." "Rodger that, Smart Guy. I'm already on my way out." He saw that the vent opening was too high to jump directly, so he found another way up. He raised his cane up at the opening, pushed a button on its side, and the hook shot up to grab hold of the opening. Satisfied that he had a good grip, Michael pushed the button again and the cane raised him up back inside the vent. He then quietly closed the cover and head back the way he came. Michael was grinning to himself. _'That wasn't so hard.'_ When he finally stepped out on the building roof again, however, he discovered that he wasn't alone.

A dark figure was standing in the middle of the roof, arms crossed. The stranger looked slender, and wore a black stealth-like outfit. Like Michael, the figure's face was completely masked, as was the voice that came from it. "I was wandering when you would return. I take it that since no alarm has gone off and you seemed pleased with yourself, you have what you came for? If that's the case, then please give me the map now, and there won't be any trouble." Michael looked at the dark stranger with surprise. "Excuse me? What makes you think I have stolen a map, pal?" The figure continued to stare at him. "I saw you enter the vent system just as arrived. I heard you say you were going for the map. If I'm right, it is Slytankhamen's map. Am I right, buddy?"

Now Michael was really shocked; he _never_ said he was looking for that particular map. He looked back at the guy with a stern voice. "Sorry, you got the wrong the guy. I did not steal a map made by someone with that name." The stranger shook his head. "You're a bad liar, you know that? Last chance, give me the map or you _will_ be sorry." Michael shook his head. "Fine, I'll just take it." The black figure took something from his bag and threw them to the ground. They were smoke pellets; Michael couldn't see a thing. While he was coughing, he felt a hand moving in his bag. A few seconds later, the smoke cleared up. Michael then looked around for the black thief. He found him standing on the ledge to his left, holding the map in his hand.

The thief saluted him farewell. "See ya." The thief said before jumping off. Shocked and mad, Michael ran to the ledge and looked down; the black thief was running away down the street to the left. "No!! You won't get away that easily, pal!" He then jumped down, using his dad's old glider to glide down to the street. Once on the ground, he proceeded to chase the thief. "Boy Scout to Smart Guy, we got a problem!" "What is it?" "Some punk was standing on the roof when I got out and took the map! I'm chasing him down the street right now!" Bentley responded at once. "Great, be careful Boy Scout! Whatever you do, don't lose him. Otherwise, that map is as good as gone!"

Michael was hot on the black thief's trail. The thief jumped on the roof of a nearby car, on a patio umbrella, which propelled him straight to the roof of a nearby building. Michael smirked. "Two can play at this game." He did the same thing the black thief did and ended up on the same roof as he did. Michael saw the thief running towards another building. Michael then bolted after him. The thief then jumped across to the next building. When he landed, he looked back, expecting to lose the other guy. To his surprise, the blue thief was right behind him. Michael just jumped to the next building, facing the black thief. "Give that map back! I need it!" The black thief looked back at him. "So do I!" He then ran off again to jump another building. "Have it your way then!" Michael chased after him again.

The black thief jumped a few more buildings, with Michael still at his heels. _'Dang, this guy just won't quit! I gotta find a way to lose him!'_ The thief had thought of an idea. _'If this maneuver doesn't ditch him, nothing will.'_ The black thief had jumped down from his "fifth" building and down to an ally. He ran down the ally and then came across a two-way split. The thief picked a hand-sized rock and threw it down the left ally. It caused the a lot of noise as it knocked down a few trashcans and hit some broken grass. The thief then ran down the right-hand ally and hid behind the nearest door. He watched from the window, and sure enough, the blue thief appeared at the ally fork. He stood there for a few seconds, and then took the left ally.

Feeling satisfied, the black thief came out and breathed easily as he leaned on the wall. "Finally, I gave that guy the slip. Now I can get back to my errand…" "Oh, I don't think so, dude." The thief jumped as he turned around; Michael was standing right in front of him with his arms crossed. Michael then grabbed him by the shirt and pushed him against the wall, very aggressively. The black thief was totally shocked! "But…but, I lost you! I saw you go the other way!" As Michael kept his hold on the guy, he smirked. "Please, I'm not stupid! My dad taught me that trick when I was 6. He made me go one way, he would go the other, and I learned to anticipate his moves. You wanna ditch me, you'll have to do _way_ better than that!"

As he kept his hold on him, Michael found the map in the black thief's right hand pants pocket and put it back in his bag. "That'll teach you to mess with me! Now tell me, why do you want this map so badly?" The guy struggled to break free, but Michael's grip was too strong. "That's none of your business! I need that map a lot more than you do!" Michael tightened his hold; his anger began to build. "Buddy, you have _no_ idea how wrong you are! I'm the one that needs the map more than anyone!" "Oh yeah? What makes you think your needs are better than mine, punk?" Michael was really pissed now. "Listen, and listen good, pal! This map is the only way I can save my parents!! So unless you want to know what it feels like to be a punching bag, you will let me have this map! You got that, _punk_?"

Hearing these words, the black thief stopped struggling and seemed stunned. "Wait a minute. You want the map…to help your parents?" Michael looked into the masked man's eyes. "Yeah, what of it?" And then, the black thief reached his hand up and took off his mask. Michael was shocked; it was a girl! A female panther to be precise. She had ruby red eyes, a face like a kitten, and short dark hair. She appeared to be in her mid-teens. Michael had trouble getting the words out. "You're a girl?!" She nodded. "Yeah, I am a girl. What does that make you?" Without knowing what to think, Michael took off his mask too. She too was stunned. "You're a boy?!" Michael looked at her sternly again. "I am not a _boy_! I happen to be 15." "I'm 16." She said girlly like.

Michael returned to his original question. "You still haven't told me why my need to have this map to save my parents interests you so much." He still held his grip incase she tried to get away. She looked at him with what appeared to be…compassion? "Because I'm in the same boat you are. My parents are in trouble too. I need that map to get them back." Michael had lost his anger, and was replaced with shock and confusion. "How do I know that this isn't a trick?" She looked directly into his eyes. "My family means more to me than anything in this world. I would do anything for them, even something against the law. I can't live with myself if I lost them and if it was my fault." Michael sensed the sincerity in her voice; that was no lie.

He studied her a bit. "If I let you go, will you tell me what is going on? And will you no try to steal the map from me again?" The panther nodded. "You have my word." He hesitated for a second, and then he let her go. She brushed herself off a bit, and then she looked at him again. "The thing is, my parents are being held hostage by a Mob Boss named Muscles. No, that is his name." She said when Michael looked skeptical. "He has terrorized my family for years for money in exchange for "protection." Personally, I think his protection is as good as last year's sushi. When my father refused to pay him, Muscles had his men tie them up and taken away. He then approached me and told me that if I want my parents back, I would have to do a job for him."

"He wanted you to steal Slytankhamen's map." Said Michael. She nodded again, now softening up a little. "Yes, he said he's wanted that map for some time, but he couldn't do it himself; he has never been "properly" accused of a crime for all his mob life. He needed someone who could slip in and out undetected without being linked to him. See, he knew I had been practicing martial arts and stealth moves for years. He felt I was capable of handling it. He told me to get the map to him before midnight, or my parents will never see the light of day again." She looked down, feeling extremely sad. Michael approached her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, I'm so sorry for your predicament. You're right; we are in the same boat. So, where are you supposed to meet this Muscles chump?"

She looked up at him again. "He said to meet him at an abandoned sushi factory near the docks here in Beijing. He said that is where my parents will be waiting." Michael looked skeptical. "You really believe he would let your parents go if you give him the map? My dad taught me that mobsters _never_ play by the rules." The panther snapped at him. "What choice do I have?! Either I give him the map, or my parents will die! Personally, I'd rather see my parents alive than dead." "Tell me about it." He then thought of something. "Hey, I got an idea. Just give me a second." Confused, she nodded. Michael activated his receiver again.

"Boy Scout to Smart Guy, you read me?" "Loud and clear, Boy Scout. What's going on out there? Did you get the map back or did the other thief get away?" Michael looked at her and smiled. "No, I got the map. But, we got a situation here." "What are you talking about?" "Could you please use _Infiltrator _to find an old sushi factory near the docks here? I need you to confirm something." Bentley sounded confused. "Alright, if you say so. Hang on." Michael waited a minute or two before Bentley got back with him. "Yeah, there is a sushi factory at the docks near your position, and it does appear to be not in use." Michael nodded. "I got a feeling it has a use, just not the one you think. Look inside the building with the camera to see who's inside."

"Inside? Okay, I don't know where you are going with this, but here we go." He waited another minute before he got his next response. "Whoa! Hey Boy Scout, there _are_ people inside the place! Judging from their outfits and nasty expressions, I'd say they are mobsters." Michael narrowed his eyes. "Alright, now do you see anyone tied up in there with them?" Bentley looked around a little, and found what Michael was asking for. "I don't know who your new source is, but he or she is right; there are two people tied up in the old main office of the building, in the company of the biggest mobster I've ever seen!" "Muscles." Michael whispered. "Boy Scout, are you going to tell me what is going on over there?"

"Listen, I know that the plan was to get the map and head back to the Safe House, but I have to make a sidetrack." "A sidetrack? To where, and why?" "I'll tell you when on my way to the docks. Oh, and could you send "Strong Man" to meet me there?" Bentley seemed confused as to who Strong Man is, and then he realized that he meant Murray. "Alright, I'll send Strong Man to meet you at the docks. Just please tell me what is happening!" "I'll tell you when I am just outside the sushi factory. Boy Scout, out." He then turned off the receiver. The girl panther looked confused. "What are you planning?" He smiled at her. "What does it look like I'm planning? You, me, and a big friend of mine are going to pay Muscles a visit and rescue your parents. Now, if we're done here, I suggest we move our butts. Don't you agree?" She looked surprised at first, and then she smiled.

"Thanks, but why would you help me? You could just take the map and leave, yet instead, you're going to help me free my family?" Michael approached her. "Because, I maybe a tough guy, but I have a soft side for a damsel in distress." He said charmingly. She couldn't help but giggle a little at that statement. Michael held out his hand to her. "By the way, since we are going to be working together, we should have "proper" introductions. I'm Michael; Michael Cooper." The panther took his hand and shook it. "Nice name. My name is Jade; Jade Summers." After they let go of each other's hands, they immediately ran to the direction of the docks, with Jade leading the way. As they moved, she thought that his name was not the only the part of him that was cute…

To be continued…


	6. Chapter 6 Mad Muscles

Hey! Time for some more action!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 6- Mad Muscles

Beijing, China. 11:00 pm: In his office at the abandoned sushi factory, Muscles sits comfortably with a fresh, smoking cigar in his mouth. He was a huge black gorilla with dark, brown eyes and a thick mustache. He was wearing an expensive looking Armani suit with a slick bowtie and shiny black shoes. He wasn't alone, however. To his left, two adult panthers, a man and a woman in their mid forties, were tied up and gagged on the floor. They looked very worried. The male panther had blue eyes and wore a torn up looking outfit, while the female had yellow eyes and had a nice but dirty gown. Muscles looked at them with a sinister smile. "Oh, don't be too worried. If your pretty little daughter manages to swipe the map and bring it back, I just might let you off the hook." _'Of course, it doesn't matter to me whether they live or not, all that matters is that map.'_ He smirked at this thought.

Just then, he heard his intercom box on the desk buzzing. He pushed and held down the black button to hear the incoming voice. "Yes?" "Hey boss, the cat is back. She says she's got the map. She wants to see ya right away." Muscles seemed very pleased as he smirked. "Alright. Tell the little kitten I'll be right down." "Sure, boss." The big ape got up and walked to the door. He looked back at the tied up couple. "Well, it looks like your precious girl held up her end of the deal. Let's see what happens next." He then stepped out and closed the door behind him. The couple looked more worried and shocked than before. Suddenly, they heard some noises near the window of the office. It was being opened…

Meanwhile, Muscles was already down stairs in the main lobby of the factory. He thought nothing could go wrong at this point; that map was as good as his. When he arrived, he found a few of his flunkies standing around a cute, young female panther; it was Jade. Jade looked calm, but at the same time grim. She knew what she had to do. Muscles looked at her with a sleazy grin. "Hey doll face, nice to see ya back. I hear you got my map, and with time to spare I might add." Jade nodded as she got out the parchment from her pocket. "Yeah, I got your precious map. I had a little trouble earlier, but in the end it was me who got away with the prize. Now, I want to see my parents." He held up his hand. "Not so fast, cupcake. What kind of trouble did you have in acquiring the map?"

She looked quickly at the door into Muscles' office, and then back to Muscles' himself. "Oh, just another thief. But he was an amateur. It took a little work and effort, but I managed to lose him. I assure you, Muscles, he did not follow me back here." He studied her a little bit. Jade swallowed; she hoped he would buy it. He laughed. "Well done, pussy cat. I must say, you really know how to get the job done." He then held out his hand, expecting something. "Now then, give me the map, toots." Jade hesitated. "First, I want to see my parents." He shook his head. "Sorry, honey. Map first, family reunions later." She shook her head. "Let me see my parents first, then you can have this old piece of paper. Otherwise, I'll tear it up right now."

Muscles started to look angry. "Look babe, I got no time for games. Give me the map or your parents will be shot right now! And since you are being _so_ rebellious, I'll do the honor of shooting your them right in front of you!" She looked shocked. "Last chance, Jade! Give me the stupid map!" She looked at the office door again, and she saw a hand waving at her. She froze for a second, and then looked back at Muscles. She seemed to have surrendered; she held the map out to the gorilla. "Fine, you win." Muscles smiled as he approached her. "Finally, some compromise." When he was close enough, he took the map from her. He then examined it to make sure it was the real deal. Jade started to sweat a little as she waited. Finally, he looked back at her, smiling.

"Well, this old paper looks like the real deal. I can't wait to see what loot this thing points too." Jade interrupted him. "Alright, you got your map. Let me see my mom dad." He looked skeptical. "Well, I don't know…" "We had a deal!" she yelled. Muscles laughed. "Of course we did, kitty cat. Follow me." Jade followed him up the stairs to the office. They had arrived at the door. He looked back at her. "Now don't try anything funny, young lady." He said as he pointed to his chest pocket. Jade nodded. Muscles had unlocked the door and opened it. What he found shocked him. There was no one in the room; his two hostages were nowhere in sight! "What?! Where did they go? I had them tied up nice and good, plus the window and the door were locked from the outside! There is no way they could've gotten away!"

He quickly inspected the window; it was still locked up tight. Just then, he turned back at Jade with an angry face, though Jade remained strangely calm. "What did you do, missy?" Before she could answer, he heard loud noises down in the lobby. He listened closely; it sounded like his men were in a fight! Muscles shook his head. "What the hell is going on down there?" He marched back through the door and looked down. His jaw dropped as he saw a big pink guy bashing each of his men. The big guy called them out. "Come on, mobsters! Is that all ya got?" Two of them tried to shoot him, but he jumped up and belly flopped on them, squashing them flat! He got and brushed himself off. He then went after another guard and punched his lights out! Then another, and another. Within seconds, all of Muscles' henchmen were out cold.

Muscles was really pissed off now. "Who do ya think are, punk?!" The big guy looked up. "Just call me "The Murray"! I'm here for some fun, and these pushovers weren't as fun as I thought they would be. You want a piece of me, chump?" He took off his jacket and massaged his fists; the usual gesture that he is about to start a big fight. Muscles looked at Jade again. "Don't think I'm done with you, Jade! I'll be back for you." He then jumped down to the floor, which caused the lobby to shake a little from his massive form. He and Murray stared at each other down for a few moments, studying one another. Murray then attacked Muscles with his fists out, ready to strike! When he tried to punch him, Muscles simply blocked it with his hand; he didn't break a sweat.

Murray was stunned. He never fought anyone who could block his punches so easily. Muscles began to crush Murray's hand with his, very slowly. The hippo felt the pain and screamed. The evil gorilla then picked up Murray with the same hand and threw him across the room into the wall! Muscles laughed. "Come on, tough guy! Get up! I have some anger to get out of my system, and you just happen to catch me in a _very_ bad mood!" He calmly walked to where Murray was laying down. He appeared to be unconscious. When he was close enough, Murray jumped him and knocked him to the floor. "Be careful what you ask for, ape face! You just might get it!" They began to wrestle around, one trying to get the other off of him. It was Murray on top, then Muscles, then Murray again. The cycle seems endless as their brawl continued.

While they were fighting, Jade was upstairs watching the whole event. "Wow, he really knows how to fight!" She heard another voice behind her. "You should see him on a bad day, he can bring the house down!" Jade turned around. It was Michael. She smiled as he joined her. "Are my parents okay?" The raccoon nodded. "Yeah, they are on their way to the police right now. Murray and I already took out any guards outside while you were keeping Muscles distracted. Nice job, by the way." "Thanks. Also, thank you for saving my parents. It really means a lot to me." He smiled back. "No problem, Jade." They both looked at each other for a few moments, looking into each other's eyes…

Suddenly, they heard some loud screaming and both of them turned back to fight below. Michael and Jade gasped; Muscles was on top of Murray's back, twisting one of his arms very painfully. The ape was sneering. "They don't call me Muscles for nothing, fool! Now to teach ya what _real_ pain is!" He was twisting it even more as Murray screamed louder. Michael and Jade knew what to do next as they looked at each other. "Shall we?" "Let's do it." They both jumped down and kicked Muscles right in the head, causing him to let go of Murray. They helped Murray back on his feet. As he was massaging his arm, he smiled at them. "Thanks guys! He nearly broke my arm! I'm telling you, that Muscles guy is stronger than I thought." Michael patted his shoulder. "We're friends, we always got each others backs. Right, Jade?" She nodded. "You know it."

"Excuse me, kids." They all turned around; Muscles was back on his feet, ready for more. He was more pissed than ever. He shook a finger at them menacingly. "That was a _big_ mistake! I don't know who you're new friends are, Jade, but they are going to pay along with you!" He crunched his knuckles again. Michael, Jade, and Murray stood ready to fight. Muscles charged at them, but they dodged out of the way. Michael then pounced on Muscles' back, trying to strangle him. He struggled to get him off, but Michael's grip was too great. Muscles then did a reverse head butt at Michael, causing him to lose his grip. He then pulled a haymaker and Michael fell to the floor hard. Muscles then picked him up by the tail. "Hey! No one touches the tail!" "You don't have a say in the matter, kid!" He then threw Michael on the floor over and over again. Seeing Michael being beaten up like that was really making Jade mad.

She couldn't stand it any longer; she ran up to behind Muscles and side kicked him in the head. He dropped Michael and turned to her. "You _dare_ to hit me?! Now you are so dead!" Jade wasn't afraid. "Bring it on!" He ran towards her with the intention of turning her inside out, but she fell on her back and kicked him over her; she used his speed as leverage to launch him. He landed with a great big "thud"! He massaged his back as he got up again. Before he could make another move, all three were standing in front of him. "Lights out!" they said right before the triple punch they gave him. He fell to the ground again, unconscious. The 3 relaxed, victorious against him. Jade held Michael up; he was still hurting from the thrashing he took earlier. She looked at him with concern.

"Are you okay, Michael?" she asked. He nodded. "Yeah, a good bath and a hot meal and I'll be right as rain. Are you alright, Uncle Murray?" he said as he turned to the hippo. He too nodded. "My arm hurts like heck! But hey, it'll heal. Just need a good night's rest and "the Murray" will be back in top form!" They all laughed together. It ended when they heard sirens outside; the police have arrived. "Well, looks like we better leave the rest to the cops," said Michael. As they went to through the back door of the factory, Jade turned to Michael. "Did you leave behind the note saying, "I got the map. It is in my pocket" in the office when you freed my parents?" He nodded. "Sure did, and did he found out the map you gave him was a fake made by Bentley?"

She shook her head. "He totally bought it: Hook, line, and sinker! When the police discover that "he" stole the map while holding me parents captive, they'll able to lock him away for sure!" They were now hiding behind a few large crates, watching for the big moment. It came; the cops were dragging out Muscles, who was handcuffed, into a police car. Jade's parents were outside talking to the police chief. Happy, Jade turned to Michael and Murray. "Well, I guess I better get back to my mom and dad. Thank you both for helping me, it means more than you know." She then hugged Murray, and then she hugged Michael. When they parted, she looked at him with hope. "I hope you will be able to rescue your parents too, Michael."

He looked back at her with resolve. "I appreciate it, Jade. I intend to find my parents and save them. I just wish that…well…" Jade looked confused. "What?" He struggled to get the right words out. "I just wish that, you know, that you could come with me, with us. We make a good team, don't we?" She nodded as she smiled. "Yeah, we do. But I have my family to think about. But I really wish I could…" She then turned to look at her parents, then back at Michael. "I have to go. I'll miss you. Thanks again." She gave him a peck on the cheek, and then she ran back to her parents. Michael just sat there, totally dumbstruck as he rubbed his cheek. "Michael, you alright?" He snapped out of it and looked at Murray. "Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Lets go before we are spotted." They left the docks and headed back to the Safe House. On the other side, as she was hugging her parents, Jade saw her new friends running from the scene. She looked wishful…

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At some unknown location, Neyla just threw her tenth thunderbolt at her wooden targets. She seemed very pleased with herself. "Perfect. It seems I have finally mastered Zeus' power. I think it is time to collect my next victim, first thing tomorrow." She then walked away, thinking that she will soon be invincible. _'Yes, I can feel it. All the powers of the gods will be mine. And the only ones who could stop me are locked up downstairs, mourning the death of their precious son. Just two more weeks before all that power is mine…forever.'_ Neyla laughed as she walked away, thinking that victory was near.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Back at the Safe House, Michael was drinking a coke along with his uncles and Panda King. They were drinking on a job well done. "What a night this has been. We have stolen an ancient map, beat up a huge mob boss and his gang, and helped a pretty lady free her parents and send their captor to jail." Michael said in triumph. Bentley nodded. "I agree with ya. You and Murray did a good thing tonight. Your mom and dad would be very proud of you." "Indeed, you have helped an innocent person and her family gain a better future. You should be proud of yourself." Michael nodded. "Personally, I don't tonight can get any better." Just as he said this, he heard knocking. They were all surprised; other than them, this building was deserted. Michael cautiously approached the door.

He heard knocking again. He then heard whispering from a familiar voice. "Michael, are you in there? It's me, Jade. Tell me you are here." Shocked by hearing her voice, he answered back. "How do I know that you are who you say you are, and not an imposter who's after my neck?" "I kissed you on the cheek when I left you. Murray was the only other one there." Surprised and convinced, he opened the door slowly. It was indeed Jade, looking tired. He let her in before closing the door again. Everyone was surprised by her appearance. When Michael rejoined the group, he explained that this was the person who he helped out there. Michael then turned to the girl panther. "Jade, how did you find us? What are you doing here?"

After she sat down and had a coke offered to her by Bentley, she explained. "When I saw you two running back to your Safe House, I realized that I had to remain by your side. I told my parents that your mom and dad are imprisoned too and I want to help you free them, just as you helped me. They argued with me a little, but they understood. They let me go to find you. I soon caught up with you and Murray and followed you back here. I hope you don't mind me working with you again?" Michael couldn't help but smile. "Sure, you can bunk with us guys. Besides, we'll need all the help we can get." She smiled back as she hugged him again. He returned the favor, unusually tightly. The others snickered silently.

After a few minutes, Jade asked Michael a favor. "Sure, what is it?" She smiled embarrassingly. "Could you let me go now?" He realized he had been holding her too long. "Oh! Yeah, sorry." He released her, while laughing embarrassingly. She didn't seem to mind him holding on to her a little longer, however… After that awkward moment, she turned to Michael and the others again. "So, before we turn in for the night, why don't you give me low down on the situation with your parents, Michael? How did they get captured? Who did it? And how can Slytankhamen's map help you save them?" He looked at the others, and then back to Jade. He took a deep breath. "Okay, but you might want to get comfortable. It's a long and complicated story." She shrugged. "I'm all ears." Michael then began to explain the mission to her, and as he explained, he resolved to protect her from whatever obstacle came in their way. _'No harm will come to her. Nothing, not as long as I live…'_


	7. Chapter 7 The Eye and the Tiger

Alright, its time for the quest for the Zodiac Gems to begin! Will they succeed?

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 7- The Eye and the Tiger

Beijing, China. Safe House. Day 2, 10:00 am: After a good night's sleep, Michael and the gang got up, ate a hearty breakfast, and began to go over Slytankhamen's map. It is a map of China itself, with all its cities, monuments, and valleys. Bentley studied the writings on one part of the map, but he couldn't make heads or tails of it. He shook his head in frustration. "It's no use; I have run the writing through every translation simulation known, and I _still_ can't understand what it says. Its maddening!" Murray patted his friend's shoulder. "Don't give up, Bentley. We'll find a way." "All maps can be read, we just need to know how to read this one," said Panda King. "Yeah, no one would make a map that couldn't be read by someone. There has to be a way," said Jade in encouragement.

Everyone decided to take a break, except for Michael. He was still looking over the map, refusing to give up. Jade noticed and walked up to him. "Michael, you've been staring at that map non-stop. Maybe you should rest your eyes a bit…" The raccoon turned to her. "No, I can't take a break, Jade. My mom and dad are locked up somewhere by a god-powered psycho, and we have less than 2 weeks to find them before the ritual can be performed. There is _no_ time for eye resting!" he snapped. Jade flinched at his response, looking stunned. "I'm sorry, I was just trying to help. But you know, Michael, you really need to control your anger; it's not going to help us if you lose your cool in a dangerous situation."

Michael calmed down. "I'm sorry, Jade." She nodded. "It's ok. Just please take a break soon." "I'll relax in a few minutes, I promise." She smiled as she walked into the kitchen for a drink. Michael turned his attention back to the map. He was just staring at the stubborn writing in the top left hand corner. _'Slytankhamen, how am I supposed to read your map? I wish you were here to show me how…'_ But at that moment, something completely unexpected happened: The writing had changed. Michael was in total shock; the writing that was in gibberish had now become English. He didn't understand how and why it changed so suddenly. Then he came to an astonishing conclusion: _'Is it possible that Slytankhamen himself somehow enchanted the map so that I could read it if I just asked?'_

Filled with excitement, he called the others back. "Hey, guys! Come here! The writing has changed! We can read it now!" The gang came back into the study room with amazement on their faces. But when they looked at the map again, they became annoyed. Bentley turned to Michael. "Listen Michael, this is no time for jokes. Take a rest and we'll get back to the map later." Michael was shocked again! "But I'm not joking, Uncle Bentley! The map's writing really has changed! Look at it!" Bentley looked at the map again, but to Michael's continuing shock, the turtle still looked annoyed. "Sorry, kiddo. The map's writing is still the same." Everyone's heads had nodded. Michael was in total disbelief!

"How can you say that?! One moment I was staring at the map, the next, it became totally clear to me!" He then turned to Jade. "You believe me, don't you?" She looked confused; she didn't know what to say. "Honestly, I don't know." He shook his head stubbornly. _'Why can't they see the altered writing, and I can?'_ He then thought of the reason. "Of course, I am such an idiot!" Murray came up to him. "Don't talk like that, Michael. Just because you can't read the map doesn't mean that you should…" But Michael had cut him off. "That's not what I mean. I think I know why I can read the map, and you guys can't." "And, why is that Michael?" Panda King asked him.

"It's because I'm Slytankhamen's descendent; that I'm a Cooper. I bet he designed this map so that only someone with Cooper blood could understand it." His friend's were surprised by the revelation. "I guess that would make sense. After all, we are dealing with powerful magic here," said Bentley. "So, what does it say?" Jade asked. Michael looked at the writing again, and read it aloud. "It says: _To the direct descendent of Slytankhamen I, here is the way to the first Zodiac Gem: After the sun sets, go to Shanghai and travel to the banks of the Yangtze River Delta. From there, listen carefully for the Tiger's roar. Follow it towards the gem's location.'_

The whole gang was stunned. Bentley looked at Michael questionably. "Michael, are you sure that's what the map says?" He nodded confidently. "Oh yeah, definitely sure. According to the map, the first gem is somewhere near Shanghai." "But does it say to look for it after the sun sets? Why not search for it during the day?" He shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe that is when the gem can be obtained." Panda King, however, smiled. "If that is what the map says, we should heed its words and not stray from them." "But what will we do during the day?" asked Murray. "Maybe Michael can translate more of the map." Bentley answered. "I'll try." Michael replied. He looked over the map again, but there was no more writing on it other than the part he just translated.

"Maybe the locations of the other Zodiac gems will reveal themselves once we get the first one." Jade said. "If that is the case, then we better make sure we get the gem." Michael said. "Until then, I better make sure I'm prepared for anything." Jade punched him in the shoulder, quite hard. "Hey! I thought we were in this together?" He looked apologetic. "Sorry Jade, but even if we found the gem's location, maybe there will be traps protecting it; traps that only a Cooper can get past. I don't you to get hurt." The panther stared hard at him. "Look, I am coming with you. You will need the help. This is a burden you can't handle alone. Let me help you."

Michael looked down; he only wanted to protect her any dangers that may follow in his quest. He looked back up at her. He smiled. "Alright, it's a team effort." She smiled back, but she still seems worried. _'I hope Michael doesn't try anything stupid on the way.'_

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Scandinavia, banks of the Gulf of Bothnia: It was a pretty day, sunny and small puffs of clouds in the blue sky. Walking on the sands near the Gulf of Bothnia, a certain tigress was there for something more important than scenery. Neyla had stopped only a few feet into the water, and raised the _Immortal Crown_ above her head. "Show me the way!" The crown then shot a blast of light across the gulf and split it in half. She then walked into the now opened gulf to seek her next target. As she made it to the center of the gulf, she stopped and smiled. She had found another old statue of a powerful god. He resembled a great black bear wearing Viking armor and wielding a strong sword. He had a dark blue eye; the other eye was missing.

"Here you are: Odin, the ruler of Asgard. Like Zeus, your power will also be mine." As she raised her crown to take his life force, the statue suddenly came to life and held his weapon at Neyla's throat. She was surprised. "What is this? The mighty Odin has come to play? This didn't happen when I took Zeus." Odin narrowed his eye towards the power hungry feline. "The gods were minding their own business until you came along. I and the other gods felt a disturbance in the magic of this world. When we discovered that Zeus was taken by the crown's power, I knew that wearer would come after me eventually. I was waiting for you. Release Zeus and hand over the crown, or you will be destroyed." Odin said warningly.

Neyla just stared at him. "You know what, you're right: I _am_ after you. And I will not leave without your power added to mine!" Odin raised his sword up, preparing for the strike. "So be it, mortal." He swung his sword down, but at that instant, Neyla vanished. Stunned, Odin looked around. She was nowhere to be found. Then, from out of nowhere, a large thunderbolt came down from the sky and hit Odin! He screamed painfully as he fell on one knee. A moment later, a series of powerful thunderbolts rained down upon the mighty Asgard ruler, one by one. The more he got struck, the weaker he felt. After 5 minutes of lightning and screams, Odin collapsed. He was unconscious.

Another bolt came struck a few feet from Odin, and Neyla reappeared, smirking. She raised the crown again. "Like I said, you old one-eyed bear, I will not leave without your power. Now, I'll take it." The crown's green jewel glowed brightly. When it dissipated, Odin was gone. Satisfied, Neyla put the crown back on her head. _'Excellent. Just one more to go…'_ She laughed insanely before disappearing in another flash of light. After she vanished, the Gulf of Bothnia became whole again.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Shanghai, Banks of Yangtze River Delta. 9:00 pm: Michael and Jade have just arrived at the river, thanks to the easy work of the _Deliverer_. It was a beautiful sight, a big, forked river heading straight towards the East China Sea. It was also very dark, except for the bright full moon. Jade turned to Michael. "Hey Michael, you know something." He looked back in question. "What?" Jade smiled. "Even though we are on a dangerous "save the world" type mission, this is still a very beautiful night." "Yeah, it sure is." They stared at the bright moon lit sky, and then each other. They found themselves getting closer…until the moment was ruined when Michael heard a very loud noise in the distance.

Disgruntled, he tried to hear it again. "Did you hear that?" Jade shook her head. "No, I heard nothing. It is totally quiet." Michael was in disbelief again, but then he figured it out. "Maybe it's like the map; only I can hear the Tiger's roar." She agreed. "Where is it coming from?" Michael was listening for the roar again. It came once more, just as loud as before. "It definitely sounded like a tiger. It came from that direction," he said as he pointed to his right. He sprinted in the direction, with Jade right behind him. The roar came again, but it was louder than last time; the roar came every 15 seconds. "I think we're getting close." Michael said. They continued to run towards the roar only Michael can hear. They ran for about 10 minutes before they stopped at a cave, at the edge of the river.

When they saw the cave, the roars stopped. Michael examined the cave entrance. "Well, I guess the first Zodiac Gem is in this cave. I'll let Uncle Bentley know." He put his hand to his receiver. "Uncle Bentley, its Michael. Jade and I have found a cave at the edge of the Yangtze River Delta. The gem has to be inside, because I don't hear anymore tiger roars." "Alright, be careful. Contact us when you two have the gem, and I zap you back here at the Safe House." Michael nodded. "Okay, see you soon." After he turned the receiver off, he looked at Jade. She looked a little nervous. "Are you ready?" he asked her. The young panther nodded her head. "Ready when you are." Together, they ventured inside the cave.

It was dark and clammy; there was moisture everywhere. Drip drops can be heard further inside. Michael and Jade stayed close incase they ran into any traps. So far, nothing bad has happened. "Are you sure this is right cave?" Jade asked. "I'm sure. Somehow, I just know this is the right place." They continued for about half an hour, until they saw light at the end. "I think we are almost there." Michael said as they started running to the light. When they stopped, there mouths fell open. It was a large, ancient chamber big enough for a whole army to hide in. There were torches on all the walls, and a large statue of a tiger stood at the other side of the room.

Michael and Jade looked around carefully, but there was no sign of the Zodiac gem. "The gem should be here, the map said so." Michael said. "Maybe it is in the statue." Jade said. Without warning, another figure appeared in front of the tiger statue. Michael couldn't believe who it was. "Neyla!? What are you doing here?" he said in disbelief. The tigress smiled as she took out her whip. "Does it matter? I have come to finish what I started." Michael began to fill up with anger now. "Really! As long as we are both here, let's talk with our fists!" Jade tried to restrain him. "No, Michael! She has Zeus' power, remember? You don't stand a chance against her! You still need Shangdi's weapon!" But Michael wasn't listening.

"Let me go, Jade! I've got an old score to settle with her! LET ME GO!!" He then pulled his arms free and ran recklessly at Neyla. Jade tried to go after him, but an invisible barrier stopped her. "Michael! No! Darn it, let me through!" No matter how hard she pounded it, she could not get through. She had no choice but to watch Michael fight a fight he cannot win. _'Do not interfere.'_ Jade was confused about the voice she had just heard. The funny thing was, that voice wasn't Neyla's…

Back in the battle, Michael was constantly trying to punch Neyla, but she kept dodging him with ease. Neyla back flipped over Michael and kicked him down. He got up looking really pissed. Neyla merely looked disappointed. "I thought you would be more of a challenge, Michael. Guess you are just a pathetic weakling after all." Michael yelled in rage as he attacked again. "I AM NOT A WEAKLING!!" He actually managed to hit her that time. In fact, Neyla didn't even try to dodge. Michael looked stunned that she didn't flinch. "Is that all you got? I would have expected more from the son of Sly Cooper and Carmelita Fox!" She punched him to the ground.

He got back up slowly; that punch hit him very hard. His lip was bleeding. Looking at her, he became even angrier. "I _will_ beat you, Neyla! I WILL BEAT YOU UNTIL THERE IS NOTHING LEFT!!" He went after her again. Enraged, he pulled off a series of punches and kicks, but Neyla easily blocked them all. As the fight went on, Michael began to tire out. When Neyla blocked his next attack, she pushed down hard. He was breathing hard. Neyla still didn't look impressed. "If that is all the strength you have, you will _never_ be able to rescue your parents! You attack me with your anger, hate, and rage and look what happened: You've completely exhausted yourself! I haven't even broken a sweat! You have nothing left to stop me!"

Battered and weak, Michael got back on his feet again. He stared at Neyla with more hate and anger than he ever had. _'Darn it! How can I beat her? She's so calm and confident, yet here I am getting a beat down from her…'_ Michael then realized something. _'She's right; I've been so angry I couldn't fight properly. I need to cool down and get my head back together. Maybe then I will stand a chance.'_ He then took a deep breath, relaxed, and looked back at Neyla with confidence. "Is that all _you_ got, you bad girl?" Neyla suddenly looked stern. "First you were filled with hate, now you have become overconfident." She then attacked Michael with another punch, but Michael dodged it just as easily as Neyla dodged his!

Neyla couldn't believe he managed to dodge her. After he dodged, he swung around and kicked her hard. She fell to the ground this time. Michael was the one in control now. "Come on, Neyla! I know you can do better than that!" he said confidently. Pissed, Neyla got back up and did her own punch and kick combos. But like her, Michael was dodging and blocking every single one of her attacks. Jade was stunned that Michael was winning. Of course, Neyla hadn't used her stolen power yet, and Jade didn't know why. _'There has to be a reason why Neyla hasn't used her magic yet. But what?'_ As she pondered on it, Michael quickly went on the offensive again.

Neyla was overwhelmed; she was the one getting tired now. Michael kept battering her with his attacks. With one last punch, Neyla fell down again, this time for the count. Michael was breathing hard once more, but he was not the one who lost. He looked down at Neyla. "So what was it you said earlier? "I was a pathetic weakling?" Who is the one kissing the ground now?" As he said this, Neyla got back on her feet. Surprised that she wants more, Michael prepared himself for her next attack. But instead of attacking, she smiled and bowed her head. "Well done, Michael Cooper. You have passed the first challenge." Michael looked taken aback. "Excuse me? What challenge?" Just then, Jade ran up to him.

"Are you okay, Michael?" He nodded. "Yeah, I'm fit as a fiddle. How come you didn't help me out here?" She looked frustrated. "I tried, but when I started to run after you, some kind of invisible barrier appeared. I couldn't get through to help. But after you knocked Neyla down for the count, the barrier vanished." Neyla got their attention again. "The barrier was to ensure that no one could interfere with Michael's challenge. He had to complete it on his own." Michael stopped her there. "Hold on just one second! What kind of game are you playing here? And how come you didn't use any of your god power to roast me like last time?"

At that moment, Neyla glowed in a brightly, so brightly that Michael and Jade had to cover their eyes. When they could see again, they saw that another figure standing where Neyla was. It was an old looking white tigress with yellow eyes and wearing a black and white striped robe. Michael and Jade were stunned. She was smiling. "Okay, now I'm _really_ confused," said Michael as he scratched his head. The tigress laughed. "Neyla was never here; it was _me_ that you were fighting this whole time, Michael. As guardian of the Tiger Zodiac Gem, I had to test the descendent of Slytankhamen I to see if he was worthy of the gem. Michael, by mastering your anger and fought with a cool head, you have successfully passed the first of the 12 challenges."

Michael was amazed by her words, as was Jade. "Did you say there were _12_ challenges?" Jade asked. The guardian nodded. "Yes, each Zodiac Gem is protected by a guardian. Only by passing their challenges, can you obtain their keys to locating Shangdi's powerful weapon." She then reached into her robe, and pulled out a small, white diamond tiger. Michael and Jade were awed at the beauty of the tiger. The guardian then gave it to Michael. "Here is your prize for completing your challenge: The Tiger Zodiac Gem. Protect it, and the others once you managed to obtain them, from those that wish to use them for their own selfish desires." They nodded. "Don't worry. We will protect them." Michael assured her. She bowed again.

"Farewell, Michael Cooper and Jade Summers. May you succeed in your quest." She then vanished in another flash of light. Michael and Jade looked at the tiger gem with resolve. "One down, eleven more to go." Michael said. "Yep, and I got a feeling the remaining challenges will be a lot tougher." They laughed as he proceeded out of the cave with the first key to Shangdi's mysterious weapon.


	8. Chapter 8 The Wolf in the Fold

Hey. So sorry about not posting my next chapter sooner, but my computer went on the fritz! I couldn't even start it up! I couldn't tell you this earlier because I didn't know until the weekend before last. Anyway, I'm back now and here is my next chapter. I hope you like this; I added some "spice" here. You'll have to read it to know what I mean. Here we go!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 8- The Wolf in the Fold

Beijing, China. Safe House. Day 3, 10:00 am: Michael and the team were looking at Bentley's laptop, staring at a bunch of gold colored dots. After Michael and Jade returned with the first Zodiac Gem and got some sleep, Bentley informed them that Neyla had struck again. "Apparently, she turned up at the Gulf of Bothnia right outside of Scandinavia." "What would she want there?" Jade asked. Michael knew at once. "I know, Odin." She turned to him. "How do you know that, Michael?" He looked at her with a grim face. "Odin is one of the Scandinavian gods worshiped there; I did some mythological research on the way here. But why did she wait this long to snatch him after capturing Zeus?"

"I think it is because Neyla needs time to get used to having all that immense god like power," Bentley answered. Michael gritted his teeth. "So Neyla now has Zeus and Odin in her clutches. That leaves just her last target: Ra." They all nodded. "Then we must acquire Shangdi's weapon as soon as possible. There is no time to waste," said Panda King. "That reminds me, Michael. Where is the next Zodiac Gem located?" asked Murray. Michael took out the map again and studied it. More writing had appeared on the map; this time near Hong Kong.

"Okay guys, here is the next clue: _To find the Dog Gem, you must venture deep within Hong Kong. Search the tunnels there for a faint red glow. Follow it and you will find the entrance to the next challenge." _Bentley thought about it for moment. "So the next gem is located underground in Hong Kong. You and Jade better get moving to find that gem." They nodded. "Wait! I want to come too!" Murray shouted. But as he moved his arms, he yelled in pain; the arm that Muscles had twisted hadn't quite recovered yet. Michael shook his head. "Sorry Uncle Murray, but you are still hurt from that fight with Muscles. Jade and I will go ahead; we can handle anything," he said confidently. Jade nodded.

"Don't worry, we'll be back soon." They got dressed up, got a quick bite to eat, and then headed to the _Deliverer_. Bentley had turned it on and locked the coordinates for Hong Kong. "Okay, I've got the machine set to send you to right outside a subway entrance in Hong Kong. Those subway tunnels are the only ones located there; if the gem is down there, you should be able to find it. Contact us when you found it." "Got ya, pal." Michael replied. He and Jade stepped inside the teleporter. "We're ready," said Jade. The turtle nodded. "Alright, good luck kids." After Bentley pressed the transport button, Michael and Jade vanished in blue light.

When they reappeared, it was right where Bentley had sent them: A big, crowded subway entrance. They proceeded inside. There were people getting in and out of an outgoing subway train. Michael and Jade couldn't see how they were going to search the tunnels without being hit by those fast trains. Jade got an idea. "Hey Michael, I know the Hong Kong subway very well. My parents used to take me through these tunnels when I was little. On my last trip, I could've sworn I saw a broken wall near the opposite stairs with a sign that said "Danger: Do not enter!" I think it will lead into the tunnels." Michael smiled. "Good idea, Jade. Let's find it."

Despite all the people crowding the place, they were able to locate the broken wall with the sign. They took a peak through it, and they saw what looked like a small, almost invisible glow far in the distance. It looked crimson colored. They looked at each other. "That's got to be it!" they both said. They looked around them; no one was looking there way. They quickly slipped through the wall and began to follow that glow. When they got to the other side, they had arrived at some tunnels that did not appear to be in use for a very long time. It was very dark in there, and the only sounds to be heard were the drops of water repeatedly fall down from the ceiling.

The raccoon and the panther looked a little nervous as they searched for the red glow again. They found it far in the tunnel leading to the right. "Well, what are we waiting for?" Michael asked. He and Jade began to walk to the tunnel with the glow. But before they could get very far, a gang of small apes appeared to block their way. Michael tried to reason with them. "Excuse us; we are just trying to get to that tunnel behind you. If you guys would step aside, that would be great." They did not move an inch. The lead ape, who looked rather ragged and nasty, took a step towards him. "Sorry chump, this is our turf, see? No one gets through here, no one!"

He then spotted Jade. The ape seemed amused. "On the other hand, that dame with ya looks hot! Hand her over and we _might_ let you through." Jade seemed offended. "I'm _not_ a bargaining chip, chimp!" "You heard the lady, no deal!" said Michael. The gang of apes did not look pleased. The leader became angry. "Hey, NO ONE calls me a chimp! Not even you, hot stuff! Get them boys!" The ape gang threw what looked like bombs at them. Michael and Jade dodged, but no explosions had appeared. Instead, smoke had come out of the containers and covered the whole area. They coughed a lot and they were grabbed by the gang.

Michael was being held by two thugs, while the other two were holding Jade, with the leader approaching her. "Okay, pretty lady, time to teach ya proper respect!" He then took an out a knife from his pocket. Michael tried to get free, but the apes were too strong, and he still hadn't recovered from the smoke bombs. "No! Jade!" He couldn't do anything to help her. She looked really scared. "Please, just let us go! We'll do anything!" The head ape shook his head as he pointed the knife at Jade's throat. "Sorry, but it's too late for negotiations." The other apes laughed as their leader held the knife back, preparing to cut the panther's throat.

But before he could strike, his knife had suddenly changed into a small flower! Everyone was surprised by this. The head ape looked at the flower with shock. "What!? What happened to my knife!?" "You should _never_ point a knife at a lady's neck! I would prefer you used a flower instead," said an unfamiliar, yet charming male voice coming from the other side of the tunnels. Everyone turned to see a cloaked figure coming out of the shadows, slowly approaching. The figure stopped right in front of the leader. The ape looked at him angrily. "Who the hell are you?"

The stranger did not move. "I am someone who cannot stand to see a beautiful young woman and her friend being treated wrongly by a bunch of petty thugs." He ape became a lot more pissed. "You're saying you're the one who did this to my knife?" he said as he shook the flower at him. The man nodded his cloaked head. "That would be correct, scum. Now, release them or you will be sorry." The apes laughed again. "You think you can take us all on by yourself, punk? I don't think so. Boys, get him!" The apes that held Michael pushed him aside and went after the stranger. The man merely side stepped and hit them behind their necks, before they fell to the floor unconsciously.

Stunned by this, the apes that held Jade went after him next. The man raised his right hand and pointed a finger to the floor beneath the incoming thugs. His eyes had then glowed bright yellow. The floor transformed into a deep pit, which the thugs fell in instantly! Michael and Jade couldn't believe what they just saw, and neither could the ape leader! "My men! Oh, you've done it now! You're all mine, jerk!" He then proceeded to pound the stranger. However, the man jumped over him before the ape's fist could hit him. Enraged, he turned around and tired again. He kept trying to punch the man, but he just kept blocking all his punches with ease! He dodged the next one and hit the ape in the gut, hard. The ape's eyes bulged and lost his breath as he fell to the floor.

His men returned to help their boss up, and the stranger spoke to them. "If you value your lives, and the life of your leader, you will all leave, NOW!" They picked up their leader and ran without hesitation. Once they were gone, the man approached Michael and Jade. "Are you two alright?" They nodded at him. "Yeah, thanks. We owe you one," said Michael in gratitude. "I'm okay too, thank you." said Jade. He nodded his head to them. "I'm glad I was able to help you in time." "Who are you?" asked Michael. The stranger then lowered his hood and revealed his face. He was a young, white wolf with dark, green eyes and looked very handsome. Smiling, he held out his hand to Jade. "I am Prince Sly. What might your name be, my lady?" he asked charmingly.

"I'm Jade Summers, its nice to meet you, uh, your highness." she said while shaking his hand. The prince kissed her hand. "A lovely name, for a lovely woman." She blushed heavily as he released her hand. Michael, becoming very annoyed by that scene, stepped in btw them. "I'm Michael Cooper, and I think you shouldn't be so forward with her. Got it?" The wolf looked stunned. "I wasn't being forward, Michael Cooper. I was just being courteous." Michael growled a little, and then felt Jade's hand on his shoulder. "Calm down, Michael. He was just being polite, can't you respect that?" she asked patiently. After a moment, Michael took a deep breath and regained his composure.

Once he was calm, Michael suddenly realized something. He looked at the wolf prince again. "Hey, did you say your name was Prince "Sly"?" He nodded. "Why do you ask?" Michael looked suspicious. "It's just that you have the same name as my father: Sly Cooper." Suddenly, the prince became shocked. "Sly Cooper is your father!? By any chance would your mother be…Carmelita Fox?" It was Michael's turn to be shocked! "Yeah, that is my mom's name! How do you know her, and my dad?" The wolf was silent for a moment. "I never knew your parents, but they have met mine, years ago on my home planet."

Michael then put it all together. "Of course, I've heard of you! You're the son of King Beowulf and Queen Isis of the planet called Crystala, aren't you?" The prince nodded again. "Yes, I am indeed." Jade looked very confused. "Okay, I'm a little lost here. Could someone explain what is going on here?" Michael turned to her. "Sure, it's kind of a long story. To make it short, my parents were in outer space long time ago on an important journey. On the way, they accidentally crashed on a snowy world called Crystala." "It was there that his parents met King Beowulf, my father." said the prince. "With the help of Sly, Carmelita, and their comrades, they rescued my mother, Queen Isis, from a terrible villain.

"They managed to save her and bring her to their ship where I was born. In gratitude, my parents named me after the man that helped them, Sly Cooper. Not long after, Sly Cooper and my parents discovered a traitor that they believed was their friend. He tried to kill everyone, but I was able to stop him with the powerful magic I was gifted with. Since then, peace had reigned on my planet." Jade was amazed by that story. "That's an incredible story. But, why are you here?" The wolf looked less cheerful.

"Well, I had a vision while I was meditating back on my world. It showed me that Sly Cooper and Carmelita Fox were in great danger. I had asked my parents if I could aid them, for I had developed a teleporting ability that could send me anywhere if I knew concentrated hard enough. They didn't want me to leave, but they knew this was a good opportunity to meet the people that befriended them. Besides, they knew I am strong enough to handle any danger. So, I concentrated to where I had to go, and I found myself in these strange tunnels. That was when I saw you two get attacked by those villains. You know what happened afterwards." he finished with a smile.

Michael and Jade were stunned that he could teleport himself here from a planet light years away! "Amazing! What else can you do?" asked Jade. The wolf prince smiled. "I can do many things with my magic, Jade." Michael then butted in again. "Okay, okay we get it! You have great magic! You don't have to go bragging about it!" The prince and Jade turned towards him. "Michael! Please, be polite. He could help us save your parents. Just give him a chance," said a stunned Jade. Michael thought it over. _'If this guy wants to hang with us, he had better learn to not to step where he cannot stand…'_ He then turned to the prince. "Alright, you can help us. Just be careful, we are dealing with an enemy that is more dangerous than you can imagine. Got it?"

The wolf nodded. "I understand; you can count on me." Michael and Jade then told him of Neyla, the Immortal Crown, the ritual, and the deadline to find the Zodiac Gems ASAP. "So you see, once we have all the gems, we will know where Shangdi's weapon is located. Once we have it, Neyla is as good as beat," Michael finished. The prince understood the situation. "That _is_ a big problem. I will do all I can to help." "Oh, and to avoid confusion, why don't we call you "Prince", okay?" asked Michael. Prince nodded. Once they agreed, they resumed their search for the glow to the Dog Gem. They walked through the tunnel where they saw it before. However, every time they think they are getting closer, the faint light just stays faint.

They continued to follow the light for an hour down the dark tunnel with no progress to reach it. Finally, the light finally got brighter as they approached. "Finally, we must be close to the gem." said Michael. When they found the source of the light, it was shining over a small doorway with a dog's head on top. Cautiously, they went inside. What they found was astonishing! The room within was a dojo of some kind, and it looked like it was in perfect condition! Alight with oil lamps, covered in red and gold colored walls, and a dog statue at the far end, it would appear it has been in use for some time. Needless to say, the trio looked stunned.

"I am glad you like my private chamber. I take great pride in constructing it myself." Michael, Jade, and Prince turned to the left and saw an old, yellow-eyed golden dog wearing a crimson robe. He bowed to them. "Greetings, young ones, I am the guardian of the Dog Zodiac Gem." He then turned to Michael. "Ah, the descendent of Slytankhamen I, I have been expecting you." Michael nodded. "Yeah, I bet you have." The dog took out a sword from his belt and pointed it at Michael. The raccoon flinched. "What's with the blade there?" "If you want the Dog Zodiac Gem, you must prove yourself worthy by defeating me in combat. Can you handle that?"

Michael smirked. "Sure, old timer. Let's see how tough you are." Jade reminded him of his fight with the Tiger guardian. "Don't worry, I know what I am doing, Jade. Just sit back and watch." The guardian held up his hand. "First, you must choose a sword to fight with. You may choose from any of these." He pointed to a glass case on the left of the dog statue. Michael approached it in amazement; there were lots of fancy old swords in there. The guardian snapped his fingers and the glass case had vanished. "Choose wisely, Michael. But remember, it is the swordsman, not the sword, which really matters." Confused about that statement, Michael decided to shrug it off and looked at the many weapons. After a minute of thinking, he chose a sword with a gold handle with a nice curved silver blade.

He swung it a little, and decided it was perfect. "That is a good sword, young raccoon." said the guardian. "It was used by Slytankhamen himself in his heroic days. It helped him win many battles." Michael smiled at the blade. "Sweet, sounds like I made a good choice." He then walked to the guardian, ready for battle. They both stood ready. "Are you sure you are ready?" "Definitely!" he replied. "Very well…BEGIN!" They then clashed swords. Michael tried to push him back, but he was having little success; the dog guardian was stronger than he looked. He then pushed Michael back and swung his blade at him. Michael barely managed to dodge and roll out of the way. When he was back on his feet, he was stunned.

_'Man, this is going to be harder than I thought!'_ The guardian looked at him. "Are you giving up already?" Michael shook his head. "I never give up!" Michael attacked the guardian again, but the dog parried his blow with ease. The guardian swung his sword again, but Michael jumped over him, landing behind him. Michael then turned and attacked again. But once more, with lightning reflexes, the guardian parried his blow. "You will have to do better than that," he said as he side kicked Michael to the floor. Michael got back up, realizing that he needs to find a way to beat him.

_'Darn! How can I beat someone that good? There has to be a way…'_ He then looked around the arena, searching for something that could give him the advantage. Then he spotted it; a shiny chandelier hanging from the ceiling. It was very bright. _'That's it!'_ He then ran towards the guardian and jumped at the last second! Michael grabbed the chandelier and jumped down at the guardian. Taken off guard by this maneuver, he was slow to parry. Michael finally got the upper hand as he kept swinging his sword at him. But all too soon, the guardian fought back. With some fancy sword play, he knocked down Michael again.

Jade and Prince looked worried about Michael. "How can Michael defeat someone who could fight like that?" Jade asked. Prince put a hand on her shoulder. "If Michael is as strong as his parents, he'll find a way. He just needs to think like a true warrior." Michael, seeing Prince put his hand on Jade's shoulder and talking to her, filled him up with jealousy. The guardian noticed this and spoke to Michael. "I can see you are distracted. You shouldn't be distracted from any battle! Any distraction could be fatal!" Michael turned sharply at the guardian. "You have no idea what you're talking about!"

Jade and Prince looked at Michael, confused about his statement. The guardian didn't flinch. "Unless you can keep your focus on the challenge in front of you, you will never be able to claim what you have come for." Michael realized that the dog was right. _'If I can't beat him, I can't beat Neyla. And if I can't beat Neyla, I'll never get my parents back.'_ He then got back up and held up his sword. He put his jealousy aside, putting his full attention on the fight with the guardian. "Alright, I'm ready to do this for real." He nodded. "Very well, then let's continue."

Both Michael and the guardian charged at each other again. This time, Michael was being serious. He matched blow for blow with the old dog. They were clashing back and forth with no sign of restrain. They fought each other with some complex sword combos. Whatever the guardian did, Michael matched. Jade and Prince were astonished to see Michael fight so well against such a tough opponent. 5 minutes pass, and Michael was winning again. This time, the guardian was getting tired and he couldn't hold out much longer. After they locked blades again, Michael twisted his blade so that the curve on his blade would grab the other sword. Michael swung his blade, which forced the other sword out of the guardian's hand and landed in Michael's open hand. Michael was now holding the tips of both blades at the dog's throat, breathing hard.

Jade and Prince smiled that Michael had won. The guardian was pleased as well. "Well done, Michael. You put your feelings aside and did what was necessary to defeat your opponent. This is essential when the time comes to face Neyla." After Michael gave both swords back to him, the guardian walked to the statue and opened a secret compartment. He then extracted a yellow dog stone. "Here it is: The Dog Zodiac Gem. Protect it well. May you and your companions succeed in your quest." Michael bowed to him and thanked him. The dog guardian then disappeared into thin air, just like the tiger guardian did. Michael then rejoined Jade and Prince. "That was incredible! You were awesome, Michael." Jade said.

"Wow, Michael, you are indeed a strong warrior. I look forward to fight side by side with you," said Prince. He held out his hand. Michael looked at him and hesitated, and then he shook it. "So do I." As they walked out, Michael contacted Bentley and told him they got the gem. "That's great Michael. I'll beam you and Jade back right now." "Uncle Bentley, we bumped into someone who might be able us. Beam him back too, please." "Uh, alright. If you trust him, I guess I can too. I'll beam all three of you back now." As they were being beamed out, Michael thought about Prince joining the team. _'If he tries to put any more moves on Jade, I swear I'll pound him.' _


	9. Chapter 9 Hogs and Rodents

Hi. Time for some more gem hunting! Enjoy!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 9- Hogs and Rodents

Beijing, China: Safe House. Day 3, 1:00 pm: Bentley, Murray, and Panda King welcomed Prince to the team. When Michael and Jade told the gang who he was, they were very surprised. "Wow, Prince. We haven't seen you since you were just a baby. You sure have grown a lot!" said Murray. Prince smiled at all of them. "Thank you, I am glad and honored to meet you all. My parents told me so much about you. Though, I wish I could meet Michael's parents as well," Prince said with sadness. Bentley put a hand on his shoulder. "If we all work together, we will find them and stop Neyla." The young wolf smiled at his comforting words. At that moment, Michael got everyone's attention. "Uh, excuse me guys. What am I, chopped liver?" They all turned to the young raccoon, who looked very agitated.

_'They are acting like I don't exist! Have they forgotten that it's _my_ parents that are in danger!?'_ "Sorry, Michael, we were just getting to know Prince. What is it?" asked Bentley. Michael pointed at the map. "The map has shown me how to find the next Zodiac Gem. It says: _To find the location of the Pig Gem, you must locate where the best bacon and ham can be found." _They all looked confused. "It doesn't say where to look like the other two gems?" asked Jade. Michael shook his head. "Not this time. Guess we have to figure this riddle out for ourselves." Panda King spoke next. "We do know that it is somewhere in China." "Unfortunately, that hardly narrows it down, Panda King," said Bentley. They all stood there in thought. After 10 minutes of silence, Prince got everyone's attention.

"I think I know where the gem is. Where do bacon and ham come from?" "They come from a Butcher shop!" said Jade. Prince nodded. "Exactly, Jade." Michael cut in. "But there are probably hundreds of Butcher shops in China! How will we find the right one?" Bentley snapped his fingers. "We don't need to look through all of them; we just need to find the one that sells the most quality meat." He turned to his handy laptop and searched the web. "Bingo! According to my computer, the best place in China to get good meat is Choppy Joes! It is located right here in Beijing, just a few blocks from here!" Michael smiled. "Awesome, then let's head over there. We can grab the gem and maybe some steaks at the same time." They all chuckled. "Jade and I will go. We won't be gone long." But Prince stopped them.

"Wait, I'm coming too. Something tells me that you will need my assistance on this one." Michael scowled a little. He was about to say "No way!" when Jade punched him in the shoulder. "Come on, Michael. If he wants to come, we should let him. Please?" He suddenly felt ashamed by looking at her face. He then turned back to Prince. "Fine, you can come. Now let's go." As the three of them walked out the door, Michael just felt like a weight dropped on him. _'I was SO hoping he would stay out of this one. Guess he really wants to prove himself to everyone…especially to Jade.'_ He felt jealous once more at the wolf prince for getting Jade's vote of confidence. For a brief moment, he wished the prince had never come… "Michael, are you alright?" Jade asked. After he snapped out of his thoughts, he answered. "Oh, sure Jade. I just spaced out a bit, that's all."

15 minutes later, they arrived at Choppy Joe's Butcher shop. It looked a very worn down, especially the sign right above the door. It was hard to believe that a place with such a poor appearance can produce fine meat. "Guess this is the place. Let's head on in." said Michael. When the three entered, they found a rows and rows of very nice looking steaks, ham, bacon, salmon, wings, and lots of other meats. "Not to shabby for a place that needs a serious outside make over." said Michael. "But now what do we do?" asked Jade. Just then, a big pig wearing a stained apron and wielding a steak knife came out the back to greet his new customers. "Hi, welcome to Choppy Joe's. I'm Joe, the best meat cutter in town. What can I get for ya?" Michael stepped up to him. "Um, are you the only one who works here, Mr. Joe?" Joe looked at Michael very curiously. "Maybe, and who might you be, squirt?"

That line set him off. "Hey, no small name calling, got that! For your information, the name is Michael Cooper! And if I were you, I wouldn't use the term "squirt" anymore. Got that?" Joe looked surprised. Jade and Prince seemed shocked at Michael's reaction. "Calm down, Michael, or you get us thrown out." said Prince. "He's right, you can't go shouting your mouth out when someone calls you a name. It could get you in big trouble." said Jade in agreement. Michael's emotions changed from outrage to jealousy. _'There she goes again, taking Prince's side over mine! Seriously, what does he have that I don't? Sure he can do magic, and maybe some manners, but that doesn't mean he should turn Jade against me!'_ Joe coughed loudly to get their attention. They all turned back to the butcher. "So, Michael, have you and your friends come here for some good meat loaf, T-bone steaks, or perhaps the Pig Zodiac Gem?"

All 3 were shocked by his question! "We never said anything about a gem, Joe! Why would you ask that?" asked Michael. Joe smiled. "I asked because I am not only a great meat cutter, but I'm also the guardian of the Pig gem." They were really shocked now. "You're the guardian!? Why didn't you tell us before?" asked Jade. "I needed to be sure I was talking to Slytankhamen's descendent before revealing myself." He then turned to Michael. "Michael, if you want to claim the Pig Zodiac Gem, then you and your friends follow me to my kitchens." They nodded and followed the guardian further into the shop, where they saw raw meat waiting to be prepared for sale. "As you can see, there are lots of meats waiting to be cut, hundreds in fact. The gem is hidden in one of those meats. To discover the right one, you and your friends must use feel the gem's power. Close your eyes, clear your minds, and just let yourselves go. Only then will the gem appear to you."

Confused but determined to try, they all did as they were told. Michael, Jade, and Prince were all clearing their minds to find the gem. Joe nodded. "Good, that is how it is done." After a moment of nothing, Michael felt a kind of pulse rushing at him. "I feel something." "I feel it too, it must the gem," said Jade. "If we can focus on where the pulse is coming from, we will find the source," said Prince. They concentrated on feeling the source of the pulse. It became stronger each second. Finally the pulse had stopped. At that moment, the trio opened their eyes to stair at a blank wall. They looked around; they had moved from their starting positions near the door to the outer shop to this blank wall on the other side of the building. "That's weird, I don't remember walking over here," said Michael in confusion. Shrugging, the gang turned back at the wall. "Maybe the gem is hidden behind it," said Jade.

As she put her hand on the wall, it suddenly changed to a cabinet which was containing a fine piece of fake crab meat. Prince then stuck his hand inside and felt something hard. Smiling, he grabbed the object and pulled it out. It was the Pig gem, a small pink stone pig. The guardian clapped at them. "Well done, young ones. By channeling your energies on the pulse you felt, you were physically drawn the gem's location. But more importantly, the task could not have been done if you all did not work together. You three have a strong spiritual connection. I have a feeling it will come in handy in the near future." Michael and the others thanked the guardian for the gem and left. As they headed back to the Safe House, Michael felt disturbed. _'Me, having a strong connection with Prince? I seriously doubt that…'_

At the Safe House, Michael, Jade and Prince added the Pig gem to the other two they had already claimed. "Nice job, guys. If we keep this up, Shangdi's weapon will be found in no time." exclaimed Bentley. Without saying a word, Michael went back to the map for the next gem. Everyone seemed confused. Jade went to talk to him, but Prince stopped her. "Wait Jade, maybe I should have a word with him." "Alright, hope you can find out what is wrong with him, because I certainly don't know." He nodded and walked up to Michael. "Listen Michael, you have been so frustrated lately. I want you to tell me what is bothering you…" Just then, Michael pointed at the map. "Yes, the next gem's location." He didn't seem to hear a word that Prince had just said. "The map says: _To find the Rat Gem, journey to where the most rats can be found."_ Bentley spoke at once.

"That one is easy; the sewers! Tons of rats can be found down there. According to my laptop, there is a certain spot where nearly all of them converge: A big chamber right beneath water plant down the street. I'll teleport Michael, Jade, and Prince there with the _Deliverer_." Jade shivered. "Eww, I HATE rats, they creep me out!" Michael patted her shoulder. "Hey, don't worry about it. I'll make sure none of them come near you." She thanked him as they walked to the teleporter, followed by a worried Prince. _'Michael didn't respond to what I said to him before. I sense a lot of hostility inside him, and it is all towards me. What does he have against me? I have to get through to him somehow.'_

After a flash of blue light, the gang found themselves in murky, sewer water. Jade screamed and grabbed Michael instantly; there were rats all over the place. Michael held Jade, feeling much appreciated. As Prince saw this, he understood and smiled. _'Of course, it makes sense now.'_ Before he could say anything, all the rats ran out of sight. Michael and the others looked around for anything unusual. They then heard footsteps behind them and turned around. They saw an old rat wearing a dirty rob with a walking stick. Jade really screamed this time as she hid behind Michael, looking over his shoulder. "Keep that thing away from me!" The oversized rodent laughed. "I see you don't like my kind very much. It is natural to be afraid of what you don't understand." Jade looked disgusted. "I understand perfectly that rats scare me to death!"

Michael kept Jade behind him as he talked to the old rodent. "Look, buddy, we don't want any trouble. Tell me, does the name "Michael Cooper" mean anything to you?" The rat nodded. "It indeed does. I am the guardian of the Rat Zodiac Gem. If you want to find it, you will have to find me in these sewer tunnels. It won't be easy; these sewers are like a maze and only I know every twist and turn down here. I know plenty of places to hide. If you and your wolf friend can find me, the gem is all yours." Michael seemed confused. "Hold on. Don't you mean my 2 friends? Why did you leave out Jade?" The rat guardian smiled. "Oh, did I not mention it? She will keep me company while you find me." Jade shook her head rapidly. "Oh no I'm not!" The rat smiled. "Consider this extra motivation for looking for me." He snapped his fingers and both he and Jade disappeared.

Michael and Prince were shocked. "Jade! Can you hear me? Jade!" Michael yelled. No answer came. Prince was also worried. "It seems that we have to search the sewers for the guardian and Jade." Michael snapped at him. "You think I don't know that!? Of course we'll have too! So let's get moving already!" Michael yelled as he ran into the nearest tunnel. Sighed, Prince ran after him. They looked very hard in the tunnels for over an hour, but no sign of them can be found. Frustrated, Michael sat down on the ground rubbing his face. "Man, that guardian knew what he was doing. I can't find him or Jade anywhere!" Prince sat down next to him. "Don't you mean _we_ can't find them?" Michael turned to face him. "Don't forget, Michael, we are both searching for them. We need to work together."

Michael jumped back on his feet and stared at Prince with anger. "Listen, wolf boy, and listen good. I don't need your help! I have _never_ needed your help! Everything was just fine when it was just me and Jade." He then pointed at the prince. "But then _you_ came along and began to mess up everything!" Angered, Prince got on his feet and stared right back at Michael. "You are acting like a selfish brat Michael! You are only thinking of yourself! I thought you wanted to save your parents?" "I do want to save them," replied an enraged Michael. "And leave them out of this! It's Jade that we are looking for right now." Prince nodded. "We will find her, but there is something we have to settle first. It cannot wait any longer." Michael snorted. "Yeah, and what would that be?" Prince looked hard at Michael.

"Ever since I joined up with you and your friends, you have been acting so distrustful towards me, even after I saved you and Jade's lives. You always seemed uncomfortable when I am around her or when she agrees with me on something, and not you. Not only that, you ignored me talking to you earlier. You completely refused to listen. A little while ago, I learned why you don't like me so much." Michael sighed. "What are you getting at?" The wolf took a deep breath and explained. "It is simple: You are in love with Jade, and you are afraid Jade may love me instead. Admit it, I am right aren't I?" Michael was completely stunned by Prince's reasoning. For a while, he didn't know what to say. Prince waited for Michael's answer. After a long, long silence, he answered.

"Okay, you got me. I'm in love with Jade, happy? I have been jealous of you because, well, because you are so different than I am." Michael then started to get his jealousy off of his chest. "You are more handsome than I am, more charming than I am, hell you can even do magic! What have I got that can beat all those things?" Prince smiled and put a hand on Michael's shoulder. "I'll tell you what you've got. You have a strong heart, and you have a good spirit. Your passion is probably what makes Jade attracted to you so much." "Heart and spirit? Come on, there's got to be more than…" Michael stopped as he just took in Prince's last words. "Did you just say that Jade is attracted to me?" Prince nodded. "How do you know that!?" The wolf continued to smile. "Just a hunch." _'The truth is that I can sense strong emotions, particularly love. I sense a strong sense of love btw you and Jade. Neither of you may not be aware of it yet, but someday that might change…'_

There was silence again. However, the atmosphere was much calmer. Michael smiled and held out his hand toward Prince. "Hey, I'm sorry for how I've been treating you since you came here. You were trying to help, and I understand that. Could we like, you know, start over?" The wolf shook his hand. "Of course we can." After they released their hands, they got back to the problem. "So, how are we so supposed to find the guardian and Jade?" asked Michael. Prince thought about it, and came up with an answer. "Remember what the Pig guardian said before? The two of us and Jade have a strong spiritual connection." Michael snapped his fingers. "I get what you're saying. If we concentrate and work together, we can find Jade." They nodded. "Let's do it." Michael and Prince closed their eyes and cleared their minds. They focused all their energy to locating Jade. Before long, they felt a weak energy pulse. "That must be Jade, her energy is so strong and so connected to ours." said Prince.

"I agree, let's find her and that rat she's with," replied Michael. They resumed their spiritual search for Jade. The more they sensed Jade's pulse, the stronger it got. They moved unconsciously in the direction of Jade's pulse. They turned left and right multiple times, until finally they stopped. Jade's pulse was so strong now that she could be right in front of them. When Michael and Prince opened their eyes, they saw the guardian and Jade in front in them. The rat looked impressed. Jade ran towards them and hugged Michael extremely tightly. "What took you so long!? Being with that rat really scared me out of my skin!" Michal patted her back. "It's okay, Jade. You're back with us now. If you don't mind, could you let me go? I can't breathe." She let go instantly. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to choke you," she said jokingly. She then turned to Prince. "Thanks for helping Michael find me. I knew you could do it if you and he worked together."

The rat guardian interrupted them. "Good work. You used your connection with Jade to locate her, and in doing so find me. A good, strong team is always connected." He then reached into his robe and pulled out the black Rat gem stone, which he gave to Michael. "Here you go, the Rat Zodiac Gem is yours now. Good luck in retrieving the others." The guardian then vanished in a cloud of mist. Satisfied, Michael contacted Bentley and told him they got the Rat gem. "Great news! I bring you guys back right now!" Smiling at each other, the three once again vanish in blue light. Before they left, Michael thought that maybe having Prince around wasn't such a bad thing after all. He also thought if his parents were alright.

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Secret location, somewhere in the world: Sly Cooper and Carmelita had finished eating food provided by Neyla. The food wasn't very good, but it was better than nothing. They both sat there on the floor with empty plates, staring at each other. They were both very sad. "Sly, I still can't believe what Neyla said about Michael being gone. It just can't be true." She seemed so lost. Sly put an arm around her to try and comfort her. "I know, but we can't give up hope. She has no proof that Michael is dead. What do you think?" Carmelita thought about it for a second. "Personally, I think everything she says is a load of crap." They smirked at one another. "So Ringtail, do you think we'll ever get out of here?" "We got out of tougher spots than this, gorgeous." "You are wasting your time on hope when there is none." Sly and his wife turned to see their captor again. "What do you want now, Neyla?" asked an agitated Sly.

The tigress shrugged. "I just came by to see how you two are adjusting to being my prisoners." Carmelita scowled. "If those bars weren't there I'd rip you apart!" Neyla shook her head. "Same old Carmelita, always quick to anger. I can see where that brat of yours got that trait." At that moment, the fox jumped up and tried to grab Neyla through the bars. Sly held her back. "Don't you DARE talk about Michal like that!! I still do not believe he is gone, you know. Sly and I will _never_ believe it!" Sly agreed with her. Neyla merely shook her head again. "Believe what you want too. The fact still remains that you and your dear husband are my prisoners. If I wanted to, I could incinerate you two in an instant! But I have much bigger plans in store for both of you."

"What plans do you have in mind, Neyla?" asked Sly. She smiled evilly. "Lets just say there is a big ceremony coming up in a less than two weeks…and you and your wife will be the main attraction." Neyla laughed insanely as she walked away, leaving the depressed couple alone once more. They were both puzzled by her statement. "Sly, what did she mean by that?" The raccoon shook his head. "Honestly, I have no clue. But whatever Neyla is up to, it can't be good for us." "Sly?" "Yeah?" "I miss Michael so much." Carmelita hugged him tightly. "I know honey, I miss him too." They just sat on the floor, holding each other for comfort as the time for Neyla's "ceremony" drew nearer.


	10. Chapter 10 The Halfway Point

Hey, I'm back! Sorry about the late update, but I needed more time to think on this chapter. I hope it doesn't disappoint.

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 10- The Halfway Point

Beijing, China: Safe House. Day 4, 12:00 pm: _"To locate the Rooster Zodiac Gem, search in the most ancient of farms," _Michael said as he finished reading the clue to the next gem. Panda King answered immediately. "McKawa's Farm is the oldest farm in China, located in the valleys near the Himalayas. The gem has to be there." Michael and the others agreed. "You heard the old bear, Uncle Bentley, next stop: McKawa's!" Bentley happily obliged as he locked in the coordinates to beam our favorite trio to the farm. Once more, Michael, Jade, and Prince had vanished in a flash of blue light, and then reappeared in the middle of a big ruckus. On a clear field, dozens of chickens were clucking like mad and the gang saw why: a dozen weasels were trying to steal their eggs!

Suddenly, Michael and the others heard a voice from an old farm house. "Hey, get away from my chickens you stinking varmints! I'd come and chase you off myself, but my bad leg isn't agreeing with me! Leave my chickens and their eggs alone!" "That must be the farmer who owns this land, and he sounds pissed big time!" Michael said. Out on the field, the chickens had formed a tight circle around their precious eggs as the weasels tried to force them away. The weasels were winning as the chicken's defenses were failing. The trio couldn't stand watching anymore! "C'mon you guys, we can look for the gem later! Right now, let's help those chickens!" Michael and Prince nodded as they ran with Jade into the fray. They moment they arrived, the weasels turned on them. One of them came up and bit Michael's right foot. "Ouch!! Let go you little dust rag!" He then kicked the weasel a good distance away from the farm and proceeded to help the others.

Jade was kicking the weasels away and grabbing them by the tails with good reflexes; they have not been able to bite her. After she threw off another four weasels, she stepped on another one's tail and it yelped as it ran away. "That's right, run! Don't mess with me!" Prince was having a ball. He used his magic to conjure up a big cage and zapped the remaining weasels inside it, right before he sent it soaring miles from the farm. "That was rather enjoyable, catching those pests and banishing them. They will be alright; the cage will disappear when they land." It took them an exciting 10 minutes, but they saved the chickens and their eggs. The little birds approached Michael's team and clucked in gratitude. Michael couldn't help but smile. "Hey, all in a day's work, right?" Just then, the door to the farm house opened.

He looked tall, gangly, and wore a straw hat. His hat was so large it blocked his face from view. He held out his hand to all of them and shook them. "Thank you young ones for protecting my chickens and their eggs. They mean a lot to me. Allow me to repay you for your kindness." Prince held out his hands in defense. "You don't have to do that, farmer. We just did what we thought was right." The old farmer nodded. "And by doing an act of kindness, you deserve a reward like this." He reached into his hat, and pulled out the last thing the trio had expected to receive: a small orange gem stone that greatly resembled a rooster! He then handed it to a stunned Michael. "Hey, wait a second! Are you…?" The farmer then took off his hat to reveal an old rooster with dark red feathers and brown eyes. "I am indeed the Rooster Guardian. Michael, you and your companions had put aside your mission to find my gem to help my chickens protect their eggs.

"A real hero always puts protecting innocent lives ahead of his or her quest. Nothing is more important than insuring another's survival in great peril. That is why you deserve my gem." Michael, Jade, and Prince smiled. "Thanks, I didn't expect this whole protecting eggs thing to be a challenge." The guardian laughed. "Some things are not what they seem…remember that for your next challenge." Before they could say anything else, he vanished in breeze of wind. Needless to say, they were confused. "What did he mean by that?" Michael asked. Jade shrugged. "I guess we'll know when we find the next gem." Prince nodded in agreement. After telling Bentley that the 5th gem was secured, they beamed back at the Safe House for the next gem's location.

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Secret location, somewhere in the world: Sly was examining the stone wall with the bars, taking in each and every detail for anything out of place. Carmelita was helping by examining the walls around the cell. They have been at an hour, with no success. "Sly, this place is solid rock, tight as a drum. There is just no way out." Carmelita said frustratingly. The raccoon still felt confident. "If there is anything I learned in all my years as a master thief, there is _always_ a weak spot somewhere." They resumed their search until Carmelita got Sly's attention. "Hey Ringtail, I think you should come over here." Sly then motioned to her side. "What did you find, Gorgeous?" Carmelita pointed at the corner btw the right hand wall and the barred wall. "I can feel air coming from this part of the cell. None of the other places in here had air flowing in. I think this _must_ be the door to this cell." Sly kissed his wife on the cheek. "I love you." She smiled. "I love you too, but let's focus on getting out of here, shall we?"

The raccoon nodded as he and Carmelita studied the wall more carefully. "Neyla could have a switch on the other side of this door, but it could also be password activated. If I know Neyla, she would probably have done just that." "If she is using some kind of password, what could it be?" Carmelita asked. Sly shrugged. "I don't know, maybe _Open Sesame_?" Just as he said this, the door slid open instantly, providing the much awaited freedom for the distressed couple. Both of them were stunned as they looked at each other, there jaws dropped. "I was just kidding." Sly said. As they moved out of the cell and into an old stone hallway, Carmelita couldn't believe that Neyla used a password so deceptively simple that no one would ever have considered it. "Yeah, well, neither can I." Sly replied as they snuck around.

As they moved, they are seeing more hallways and empty cells just like theirs, creeping them out more. They also feel the further they went to escape, the colder the air felt until they started to shiver. "Sly, what _is_ this place? Why is it so cold?" "I don't know Carmelita, but let's get out of here before Neyla notices our absence." They kept moving until they found a large stair case moving up, so they moved up the stairs quietly. When they got to the top of the stairs, however, they saw some unexpected company: 3 creepy crocodile zombies were moving along the next hallway. The couple hid themselves just before they were spotted. "Okay, now I am more confused than ever," said a shocked Carmelita. "I know what you mean. First we find out Neyla is back from the dead, then we get trapped in what appears to be an old fortress possibly in the far North, and now zombies are patrolling the place. Something very freaky is going on here."

As soon as the zombies were out of sight, Sly and Carmelita moved down the left hallway, continuing to be quiet. They kept alert and their eyes open for Neyla or more zombies. They moved through the hallway lit by nothing but torches when they some noise up ahead. It sounded like heavy machinery moving around. Curious, they moved slowly to the next room to investigate. When they peeked inside, they were once again surprised by what they saw. It was a huge chamber with a giant skylight with the sun shining in the center. There were two strap boards in the center as well. Also, there was a huge machine which sparked with electricity. It was hanging over the two straps, while looking very menacing. Sly was becoming more concerned about their situation. _'Neyla is definitely planning something big, but what?'_

He then remembered Neyla telling them about some kind of ceremony in a few weeks. _'What is this ceremony Neyla was talking about? How does it involve all this machinery and the zombies? Well, my wife and I are not sticking around to find out.'_ Sly turned to his wife, and she was feeling the same way he was. "Let's get out of here right now, Sly." He nodded to her. "I couldn't agree more, darling. Let's split." Just as they had turned to move out of the fortress, they bumped into another few zombies, who unfortunately were walking in their direction. They screeched as they saw them. Sly and Carmelita punched them in the guts and the faces, and then they fell on the floor. Satisfied for themselves, they began to move again. Unfortunately, they bumped into a familiar face: Neyla.

She didn't seem pleased to see them wandering about. "What's this: Sly Cooper and his beloved wife moving around in my little hideaway? I don't think so!" She held out her hands and lifted them up, thus lifting up Sly and Carmelita and thrusting them into the back wall. Neither of them could move. Neyla continued to stare hatefully. "I can't have my favorite couple in the world trying to escape before the big day, now can I? Guess I'll just have to put you two in a cell _without_ a door!" Sly and Carmelita struggled hopelessly against Neyla's power. "Someday Neyla, you'll get what's coming to you!" Sly said in anger. "I will personally turn you inside out!" yelled Carmelita. Neyla laughed at their useless threats as she snapped her fingers and zapped them to another, more tight-drummed cell. "Nothing must go wrong on the day of the ritual…NOTHING! I'll have to keep a closer eye on them from now on." As she laughed she gazed at the huge machine, knowing how its purpose will achieve her goals.

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"So, where do we find the next gem Michael?" Prince asked back at the Safe House. Michael was studying the map once more, and at once the next Zodiac Gem's clue was revealed. _"To find the Sheep Zodiac Gem, travel to the bottom of the deepest well in Hong Kong."_ At once, Jade came up with the answer. "I know where to look. The Ounimata Well, that is the deepest well in China, and it is located in Hong Kong." Michael felt like he could kiss her, but he restrained himself. Instead, he just patted her on the back. "Good thinking, Jade." Jade thanked him. "Come and let's find the gem." Prince said. They all agreed as they stepped into the _Deliverer _and waited for Bentley to zap them on their way. "Uncle Bentley, beam us away." Michael said enthusiastically. "You got it, kiddo!" They again disappeared in a blue flash.

Michael and his friends appeared in an alley in Hong Kong where no one will spot them. Once they emerged in the city, they began to search for the well. Jade knew where to find the well, so she led the way. Within minutes, they arrived at the Ounimata Well, which was found in the center of a nearby park. It was as big as a small swimming pool. It also looked very old. "This well must be ancient, it looks like it is barely holding itself together," Prince observed. "Oh yeah, but it is considered a piece of Chinese history that should be preserved." Jade said proudly. Michael then looked down into the well. "Well, we found the well, so let's get down there." They nodded. Since there was no rope, Prince used his magic to life himself and his friends into the well. When they were at the bottom, they thanked Prince. "Anytime guys, anytime." They around the area and saw nothing unusual, although the area is big enough for a huge party.

"Man, there's not even a tunnel down here. Maybe the map made a mistake," said Michael. Just then, a cloud of mist appeared that blocked everyone's view. Then a few seconds later, it vanished. However, when it was all clear again, there was a fourth figure in the room. He looked like an old, wooly ram with big curly, horns while wear a cobalt colored robe. "The map never makes mistakes, young Michael Cooper." The old ram said with a smile. After recovering from their surprise, Michael and the others knew instantly who he must be. "Let me guess, the Sheep Guardian?" Michael asked. The guardian nodded. "I have been anticipating your visit for some time, and I am glad you have come." He spread out his arms and suddenly, the whole room was full of…"Sheep Zodiac Gems", said the guardian. Michael turned back to him after staring at all 20 of the cobalt colored treasures.

"Hold one, isn't there supposed to be only one?" he asked. The guardian nodded again. "There is only one, but you must discover which one it is, young raccoon. If you and your friends can find the real Sheep Gem, it is yours. If you choose one of the false gems, then the real one will be lost forever. Choose wisely." Michael, Jade and Prince nodded as they began to observe each of the gems. They spread out to cover them all. The guardian was watching with expectation. They all looked for 3 hours, and they still can't tell the real one from the copies. Then they tried to find it by sensing its energy like they did with the Pig Gem, but the energy seem to come from all of them. "Man, how are we supposed to find the real gem? They all look alike!" Michael said in frustration. Jade put her hand on his shoulder. "We'll a way, Michael. Don't give up."

Michael smiled from her encouraging words. Prince said to him that the answer will show itself somehow. At that moment, Michael remembered what the Rooster Guardian had said: _"Some things are not what they seem…remember that for your next challenge."_ Michael knew that he was referring to finding the correct Sheep Gem. Michael began to look around again, looking for anything that was out of place. Jade and Prince began to search as well. Suddenly, while he was looking at the pile to his left, Michael stopped. He saw something right behind the last row of gems, something shimmering. However, there was nothing there. Michael looked closer and saw that empty spot shimmer again. He kept staring at it, trying to make out the shape of the shimmering space. After several minutes, he finally knows the shape of the invisible object. He then reached out for it, and picked it up. At that instant, all the gems in the well disappeared. And the invisible object in Michael's hand revealed itself: the real Sheep Gem.

"Guys, over here, I found it!" Michael yelled. Jade and Prince ran to him, astounded. "Wow Michael, how did you find it?" Jade asked. "Yes, how were you able to tell the real one from the illusions?" Prince questioned. Michael smiled. "Well, I was looking at the gems over here for anything out of the ordinary. Then I saw something shimmer behind the last row, and reached out for it. It looks like this is the real one!" The guardian clapped at Michael as he approached him and his friends. "Excellent, young one. You have seen past what you can normally see. By careful examining, and faith, you have secured the Sheep Zodiac Gem. Congratulations to you Michael, and your friends." Michael and the others smiled, pleased with themselves at obtaining another gem. Then the guardian sounded serious all of a sudden.

"You all have found half of the Zodiac Gems needed to find and release Shangdi's powerful weapon. But the challenges to claim the remaining six gems will be far more difficult. Do not take them lightly, or you will falter in your quest." "We won't, guardian." Michael said respectfully. Then the old one bowed to them. "Then let me say goodbye, and good luck in retrieving the remaining gems, and keep them safe." He then formed another cloud of mist and everything became foggy. The next thing that Michael and his friends saw was that they were back in the park, right in front of the well. "Wow, that was nice of him. That saved me the trouble of carrying us back up here." Prince said appreciatively. Very pleased with their progress, they contacted Bentley and informed him that they have the next gem. "Awesome work, guys! I'll bring you back right now." And with that last statement, the trio disappeared in blue light. But they didn't know that before they vanished, they were being watched by someone hiding behind a tree.

The person's face hidden behind a cowl, but the voice sounded sinister. "That's right, young Cooper, continue to collect the Zodiac Gems. When you have them all, I shall take them for myself. Then I shall claim the legendary weapon of Shangdi and become invincible!" The person laughed insanely as he slipped away without detection by civilians.


	11. Chapter 11 Chases and Jokes

Hi. Its time for another fun and exciting chapter! Enjoy!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 11- Chases and Jokes

Day 5, 12:00 pm: Michael, Jade, and Prince were exploring a forest near the Himalaya Mountains, no doubt searching for the next Zodiac Gem. They have been searching for hours and found nothing. They decided to rest by a nearby creek. Jade turned to Michael. "Michael, are you sure this is the right place to look?" she asked. Michael nodded. "I'm sure, Jade. The map said: _"To find the Rabbit Zodiac Gem, search in the forest near the great mountains to the north"_. The mountains the map referred to are the Himalayas, and this is the forest closest to them. Therefore, the Rabbit Gem has to be here. We just need to keep looking." "But we don't know _what_ we are looking for," said Prince. "Each of the gem temples is hidden in an obscure location. How will we find this one?" Just then, they heard a rustling noise in a nearby bush. The trio was startled for a second, but they relaxed when they saw it was only a small brown rabbit.

"Aw, it's so cute!" Jade said. At that moment, the rabbit hopped the small bridge of rocks that stretched across the creek and turned around to stare at the group. The rabbit made a strange gesture with its ears; they were pointing to the woods ahead. Michael and the others were confused. The rabbit continued to point with its ears until Michael realized it. "Guys, I think that rabbit wants us to follow it!" "Why would it do that?" asked Prince. "Maybe it works for the Rabbit Guardian, and it's trying to show us the way," Jade answered. Michael smiled. "That's it! Let's go!" They immediately ran after the rabbit, which disappeared in the woods. Michael and the others were trying to keep up with the little bunny, but it is hopping very fast. They turned left, then right, then right again. For several minutes they ran after the rabbit until they finally caught up with it in a clearing.

The rabbit was standing next to a small hole in the ground. At that moment, Michael could have sworn the rabbit winked at him before hopping down the hole. They walked to the hole and looked down; they couldn't see anything. "Looks like we have to go down that hole to find the Rabbit temple," Michael said. Jade shook her head. "But that hole is too small for us." Prince then spread out his arms and smirked. "No problem, Jade. I'll just make the hole larger with my magic." His eyes had then glowed golden and the hole instantly became large enough for everyone to fit in. "Thanks, Prince." said a smiling Michael and Jade. The young wolf nodded in appreciation. "Well, what are we waiting for?" Michael asked as he and the others immediately jumped in the hole. Right after they jumped in, the disguised figure from before appeared out of the woods. "What fools they are, those children. They have no idea what shall befall them once I take what is meant to be mine!" The unknown villain laughed insanely as he once again vanishes from sight.

Down in the hole, Michael and the others landed on soft ground and looked around. They were in an ancient temple with a rabbit statue far in front of them. "You were right, Michael, following that bunny rabbit was a good idea." said Jade. Michael smiled back at her when another figure popped in front without warning; they all screamed! The figure was an old, female white rabbit wearing a light violet robe and had sapphire colored eyes. The guardian bowed to them. "Please forgive me for my sudden appearance, sometimes I just can't control myself!" the guardian said as she laughed. Once they all calmed down, Prince asked if she is the Rabbit Guardian. "I am indeed, young one." she answered. "I'm glad you followed my companion to my temple, otherwise you would be looking for weeks without a lead." The Rabbit Guardian laughed again. When she noticed that Michael and the others were not joining her, she immediately stopped and cleared her throat.

"I see that you are not in a humorous mood today, well fine! If you are still interested in the Rabbit Gem, you will have to do a simple task: Catch me! If you can manage to capture me, then the Rabbit Gem is all yours. Feeling up to it?" They all nodded. "Then let the chase begin! Oh, by the way Prince Sly: Your magic will not work on me in this temple, so don't try to." After she saw the disappointed look on the wolf's face, the guardian then moved in front of the statue and just stood there. "This is going to be easy." said a cocky Michael. "But, Michael, the Sheep Guardian told us that the next challenges will be more difficult," replied a concerned Jade. Michael pointed at the guardian. "Look at her, she's got to be _centuries_ old! How fast could she be?" Michael ran to the guardian, hands opened and ready to grab her. However, just before his fingers could take hold, the old hare sped away in a flash! Michael was stunned and confused. "What the heck!? Where did she go?" He heard a whistle and turned around; the rabbit guardian was standing against the wall on the other side. "Sorry, too slow! Ha, ha, ha!" The guardian was laughing at the raccoon.

Michael growled in anger. "Oh yeah, I'll show you who's too slow!" He ran towards her as fast as he could and jumped to get more distance. He planned to land on her. What he landed on a moment later was the floor, not the guardian as Michael crashed with a big thump! Once again, the guardian had zoomed away before Michael could get close to her. "You'll have to do better than that if you want the gem!" she yelled at him in glee. Soon, all three were trying to catch her. But no matter what tactic they used, the guardian seemed to always be beyond reach. _'How could someone that old move so fast?!' _Michael thought as he came up with a new plan. Really pissed off now, Michael asked Jade and Prince to surround her so she would have nowhere to run. The rabbit guardian just stood there, waiting for their next move, completely unconcerned. Once they have her at all sides, Michael gave the order to move in. _'Let's see her get out of this one!'_ he thought as all three ran towards her. They were a mere inch from catching her, and then…CRASH!! Michael, Jade, and Prince hit each other's heads at the same time and fell to the floor. The rabbit guardian had hopped very high at the very last second and landed halfway across the temple.

As the group was massaging their heads, the rabbit guardian was laughing at all of them now. "Ha, ha, ha! I haven't had this much fun in centuries! I am so glad I decided to stay in shape for this challenge, otherwise I'd be as slow as you three are!" she said as continued to laugh. The three now were extremely pissed off. Prince turned to Michael. "This just isn't working. No matter what we try, she is always one step ahead of us! There is no way we can catch her." "Don't give up, Prince, there has to be a way," replied Jade. Michael agreed as he heard another laughing voice: the little bunny they followed earlier. Suddenly, Michael came up with an idea. "Hey guys, I think I found a way to grab her…" They huddled and whispered so that the guardian could not hear them. When they broke apart, Prince's eyes glowed again and instantly the little bunny was in Michael's hands!

Just as they predicted, the guardian had stopped laughing and looked outraged! "Hey, put him down this instant! He is not part of this challenge!" "He is now!" Michael said as he threw the bunny in the air and began to fall. Terrified, the rabbit guardian zoomed to where the bunny was going to hit. Unfortunately, the little guy disappeared before she could grab him. "Where is he? Where did he go?" Michael pointed to Jade, who was holding the rabbit. The guardian ran towards Jade in almost blinding speed. However, the bunny vanished again before she could get him. He was in Prince's hands now. Prince had used his magic to teleport the bunny from one person to the next in light speed. This process kept going for an hour, and the guardian is starting to tire out. When she tried to get the bunny back, which was in Michael's hands at the time, she once again missed and accidentally fell on him. Panting hard, she was getting back up when Michael wrapped his arms around her! "Ha, got you!" he shouted.

At that moment, the bunny ran back to its master, completely unharmed. Michael then released the stunned rabbit guardian and picked up the little bunny and held it tight. She looked back Michael and his friends. "Well, I must admit, you young ones are very clever, if not very fast! Well done!" She then walked towards the statue and pulled out a small violet rabbit gemstone, which she then gave to Michael. "Here is the Rabbit Zodiac Gem, you definitely earned it! Good luck in obtaining the others." As the trio began to leave with their newest gem, the guardian stopped them. "Oh, one more thing before you go. You youngsters need to work on your sense of humor, because you weren't in a humorous mood earlier. Those stuffy attitudes of yours won't help you in the next gem challenge." The rabbit guardian and her little friend vanished. "What did she mean by that?" Prince asked. Michael shrugged. "Maybe the next challenge is a joke contest or something."

Still confused, Prince used his magic to send them all back to the surface of the forest. After telling Bentley they got the Rabbit Gem, the group disappeared in blue light. When they returned at the Safe House, they were greeted by Bentley, Murray, and Panda King. "Nice job, guys! Another Zodiac Gem in the bag!" said Bentley. "Man, you guys are on fire on the Zodiac Gem hunt!" said Murray. "The three of you continue to impress me, and you are one step closer to finding Shangdi's weapon," replied Panda King. "We all are a step closer," said a pleased Michael as he put the Rabbit Gem with the others in a small vault hidden under Michael's bed. "We just have to find 5 more, and then the weapon is ours." said Bentley. "And then we finally go after Neyla," replied Michael. Once they had a quick lunch, Michael checked out the map again.

A minute later, he saw the map's next clue. "Okay, here is gem #8: _"To find the Monkey Zodiac Gem, look in the place where crowds have the most fun."_ At that moment, they all came up with the answer at the same time: "The Circus!" A smiling Panda King said that there is a circus that takes place every year in Beijing, and it happens to be in town tonight at sundown. "Awesome! We can look for the gem and have a blast at the same time! Let's all go!" They all cheered at the prospect of going to a circus; it had been a while since they all had good fun together. "Then it is settled, we shall attend the circus tonight." said Panda King. As they all talked about what activities they want to do there, Michael looked out the window and wondered what Neyla was doing now.

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Cairo, Egypt; 12:00 pm: The sun was blazing in the country of Egypt, particularly inside its ancient pyramids. Inside one of them is a certain beautiful yet evil tigress bent on power and world domination. Neyla was standing in front of a statue of Ra, the sovereign god of Egypt. It resembled the one in the Paris museum, but this one was larger and more life like. Neyla was smirking with overconfidence. "Alright Ra, it is time to claim the last of the Big Immortal 3!" Suddenly, the statue's eyes glowed red and began to move. He moved forward and stared down at Neyla. "I have been anticipating your arrival ever since your capture of Zeus and Odin. I assure you, wicked one, you will not ensnare me as well." Neyla laughed at the god. "You have no idea what I have become, do you? I am so powerful you can't possibly defeat me!" As she said this, Neyla grew to Ra's size!

Not intimidated, Ra drew out his twin swords while Neyla drew out the sword that Odin once wielded. They clashed blades at once, and Neyla was the one pushing Ra back. Stunned by her power, the Egyptian Immortal refuses to back down. With determination, he pushes Neyla back and slashes her waist. Neyla fell on one knee, and then she healed it with her hand. Pissed, she got back up and clashed again. Neyla was using all sorts of combos with her blade, but Ra's defense was impressive; she could not get through! She then teleported behind him and tried to take him by surprise, but Ra had vanished himself before the blade could strike him. Ra then reappeared behind Neyla and hit her with a beam of intense sun light and she started screaming. While she was stunned from that attack, Ra did an uppercut, two side kicks to the head, one in the stomach, and finally a powerful twist kick in the chest! At last Neyla fell down and shrank back to normal size and Odin's sword vanished.

Ra shrank to her size, put away his swords, and approached her. Neyla appeared to be unconscious. He had a look of pity and disgust. "You brought this down upon yourself, mortal. No mortal should ever wield the power of one god, let alone 3. Now, it is time to set things right." He then reached down to pick up the Immortal Crown from Neyla's head. Before he could grab it, Neyla's eyes flashed open and grabbed his wrist. Ra was shocked that she managed to remain awake after that onslaught. Before he could do anything else, Neyla pulled him in for a kiss. The moment their lips met, Ra felt his power being drained into the crown. He could not pull free; he was powerless. After a flash of red light that filled the whole pyramid, Neyla stood back up with a triumphant look. All three gems in the crown were now glowing faintly due to the fact that the three gods are trapped inside them.

Neyla laughed like a hyena being tickled. "YES!! THE THREE MOST POWERFUL GODS IN THE WORLD ARE MINE, ALONG WITH THEIR POWER!! NOW NOTHING CAN STOP ME!!!" She continued to laugh as she vanished in another flash of light.

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Beijing, China: Yearly Circus. Day 5, 9:00 pm: The whole gang was having fun at the circus. Bentley, Murray, and Panda King had to wear disguises to not be recognized by the cops patrolling the area. Only Michael, Jade, and Prince could explore while being themselves. There were all sorts of sights: A huge Ferris wheel, fun looking rides, good food stands, and lots of game booths. Unfortunately, the young three can't play…yet. They still have to find the Monkey Zodiac Gem. They were looking everywhere for something unusual, but the problem with a circus is that nearly everything is out of place. "How are we going to find the Monkey Guardian in all this commotion?" Prince asked. "I'm sure monkey boy will find us, somehow." Michael answered. They then heard an offended voice. "Who are you calling "Monkey Boy"? I ought to throw a banana cream pie in your face!" They turned around and saw a young, brown monkey wearing a clown outfit. The instant they saw him, he hit Michael in the face with a pie! "Told ya I would!" he said with loud raspberry. Jade and Prince laughed at this scene, but only briefly. They could feel that Michael was about to blow.

After Michael had wiped his face clean of pie, he became very pissed. "What's the big idea, chimp?! I wasn't talking about _you_! I was talking about some other monkey!" The clown crossed his arms, looking very offended. "Like maybe the Guardian of the Monkey Zodiac Gem?" They all became shocked by his statement! "Hold on, banana breath. _You_ are the Monkey Guardian?!" The chimp nodded furiously. Jade approached him. "But, all the other guardians were so old…" Then the guardian put his face inches from her own. "What, you expected an old, broken down, hairy primate eating only bananas and drinking prune juice? Do I look ANYTHING like that, missy?! I happen to be the youngest of the Zodiac Gem Guardians, and I'm quite proud of it! I _could_ have aged like the rest of them, but then I wouldn't be the funny, lovable clown you see before you!"

"I don't think you're funny and lovable," Michael mumbled. The monkey guardian snapped at him. "What did you say, Big Shot?" "Nothing," Michael lied. Prince approached him next. "Listen, Monkey Guardian, we don't mean to offend you. All we want is a chance to claim your gem to help us in our quest." The guardian studied him for a little, and then seemed to finally calm down. "Alright, alright, follow me. Once we are under the Big Top, I'll tell ya what you gotta do." Michael and the others followed him, with Michael still mad. Jade walked next to him. "Don't be mad at him, Michael. He was just having a bit of fun." Michael just grumbled. "At least be polite, otherwise we might not get his gem." Michael turned his head towards Jade, still looking peeved. "It's not my fault he's pissed at me. How was I supposed to know the Monkey Guardian was a little circus clown?" Jade shrugged. "That goes to show you, life is full of surprises."

When they finally entered the back stage of the biggest tent in the circus, the young guardian turned to face the trio. He looked serious. "Okay, here's the deal. You want the Monkey Gem, you'll have to do something so difficult, so down right dangerous, that you may not live through it." Michael and the others were looking a little nervous now as they gulped. "What is it?" Michael asked. The guardian hesitated, and then he answered. "A practical joke." They all fell down instantly! After getting back up, Michael felt like strangling the little hairball. "A practical joke? You said it would be dangerous!" The guardian grinned. "I lied." Michael became very red in the face. "Why you little..!" Just then, Jade held Michael back to prevent him from attacking. "So sorry, Monkey Guardian. He has a hard time controlling his temper." He monkey shrugged. "Yeah, well, not everyone's got a sense of humor."

The guardian then cleared his throat. "As I was saying, you guys will have to do a practical joke, any kind you can think of. If you three can get me to laugh with one of your jokes, then I'll hand over the Monkey Gem. Otherwise, just scram!" Prince and Jade agreed, but Michael proved to be very stubborn. "Why does it have to be a practical joke?" he asked annoyingly. "Because I say so, you party pooper!" "Michael, please, we have to do this. There is no other way." Prince said. Michael still hesitated. Jade stepped in front of him. "Please Michael; won't you do it for your parents? Won't you do it for _me_? Please?" Michael stared into Jade's beautiful eyes. He just can't resist those eyes of hers… "Alright, I'll do it." Jade then hugged him. "Thank you, Michael. I knew you would." She then let go of him, and Michael blushed a little bit.

The guardian noticed and smirked. "Ah, I get it. You're only cooperating because your girlfriend asked you to?" Michael and Jade turned to him instantly, both blushing now. "WE ARE NOT A COUPLE!!" The guardian backed off a little. "Okay, okay, sheesh. I was just kidding." He then sat on a big chair, watching the trio. "So, what are ya waiting for? Let's see some comedy!" At that moment, Michael and the others started to plan some practical jokes that would surely get the guardian to laugh. First, Prince used his magic to create a kitchen and then he and the others would try to cook a cake. When they took it out of the oven, it exploded! Batter went everywhere, especially all over their faces! Unfortunately, that only made the guardian yawn. So they tried something else: Slap Stick! Prince used his magic again to change themselves into clowns and did all sorts of pranks to each other!

They did a clown sit com, in which Michael came home from a hard work day teaching at clown school, and the wife, Jade had "accidentally" left a banana peel right in front of the door. When Michael came in, he slipped and fell on his butt, which contained a whoppie cushion. Jade helped him get back up and apologized for the peel, and Michael said he understood, right before he hit her with a pie! A few minutes later, their next door neighbor, Prince, came over for some extra water, his plumbing broke again. Michael said no problem as he rolled out a huge hose from under the sink and unleashed a big blast of water at Prince, causing him to fly out of the house. Jade scolded him for being so careless. Michael apologized to her while showing her a flower he recently bought on the way home. As Jade lowered her head to smell it, she got a full blast of knock out gas! After she collapsed, Michael said that accidents can happen, especially if you are a clown! As their sitcom ended, they were again disappointed by the guardian's reaction: He was picking his ear with one of his fingers.

"Boring! I've seen elephants do better pranks than you three! Show me something to really laugh at!" Michael became angrier at the guardian. "Man, what's it going to take to make that brat laugh?!" They all thought about for a bit, and then Prince came up with an idea. "I know what might work." Michael and Jade listened as Prince told them of his plan. When they broke apart, they were ready. Once again, Prince used his magic to change the scenery into the last thing the Monkey Guardian had expected: A Bar. There were lots of other characters. Prince was in ragged garments and looked like he was drunk. Michael looked like a walking tuna and Jade resembled a canary, both looked drunk too. Everyone was dancing and singing. The drunken Prince then took to the dance floor and danced with the tuna-like Michael. They seem to be enjoying themselves. As he threw down Michael, he spotted the canary like Jade. He danced with her next. Then Michael joined back in the fray. Everyone was watching them get down with their bad selves. When the music stopped, they sat down at the bar and asked the bartender for something to wet their whistles.

After they got their drinks, the ragged Prince turned everyone's attention towards himself. "Wow, that was quite a show, wasn't it?" The whole place screamed with delight. Then Prince said the punch line. "Great, I danced with a feather duster and a sardine! Now I just have to find a girl to dance with!" The whole bar filled with intense laughter. Just then, the canary Jade got the drunken wolf's attention. "I thought I was a girl?" Everyone laughed even harder! But not nearly as hard as certain young simian in clown attire. The Monkey Guardian was laughing his head off! After Prince changed everything back, including his, Michael's, and Jade's appearances, the guardian gave them two thumbs up! "That was the funniest practical joke I have seen in centuries! I _never_ saw anything close to that level of comedy! How in the world did you come up with that one?" They all smiled as Prince answered. "To be honest, Monkey Guardian, that was a joke my father told me when I was little."

The guardian continued to laugh. "Well, wolf boy, your dad sounds like quite the comedian! Ha, ha, ha! I think I'm going to split my sides!" After that long fit of laughter, he approached Michael and gave him the brown colored Monkey Zodiac Gem and another banana cream pie. "Here, Michael Cooper, this one you can eat! My treat for you and your friends for accomplishing this task." As Michael took the pie, he smirked. "Thanks, Monkey Guardian. And you're right…" He then threw the pie in the monkey's face! "That was _your_ treat!" Michael said as he laughed. Jade and Prince were surprised, and the guardian wiped his face clean. Soon, all of them were laughing. "See, guardian? I can be funny too!" "Oh yeah, you're funny alright!" They continued to laugh as they left the tent and rejoined with the rest of the group. When Michael told them everything, they were laughing as well.

"I can't believe you had to go through all that just to get a magical gemstone!" said Bentley. "Ah, man! I wish I could have been there; I would have given that Monkey Guardian a real comedy show!" said an excited Murray. "It appears that this evening has become quite…humorous," Panda King replied. Bentley checked his watch. "Hey, we still have some time before the circus closes. Let's find some games to play together." They all agreed as they played all the fun games and activities in the area. Later on, Michael and Jade rode the Ferris wheel together. While they were still riding it, the ride suddenly stopped. Michael and Jade were right on top. "Sorry, folks, we seem to be having some technical difficulties. Stay calm, we'll get it working again in a minute." While the tech workers were fixing the wheel, Michael and Jade looked at one another.

"Sorry this ride is on the fritz right now." Jade shook her head. "I don't care; I know I'm safe with you around." Michael blushed. They were staring at the sky for a few minutes, and then Michael turned back to Jade, still blushing. "Hey Jade, remember when the Monkey Guardian said that we were a couple, and we told him we weren't." "Yes, I remember. What about it?" she asked. Michael was blushing more by the second, and it didn't help that the circus music changed to some soft, romantic tunes only couples listen to. "Well, I kinda wish that, well…" He hesitated. Jade was growing impatient. "Well? Well what? What have you wished for back there?" Michael turned back to her. "I kinda wish I hadn't said that." Jade was stunned; she didn't expect to hear that from Michael. "Why wouldn't you? It was the truth, wasn't it?" Michael shook his head.

"It's not that, Jade. Its just that I…I, uh…" Jade was really agitated now. "For heaven's sake, Michael, if you have something to say, just say it!" Suddenly, Michael couldn't hold it in any longer. "Alright, I'll say it! I love you, Jade! I am totally and madly in love with you, happy?!" Both of them stared at each other, completely taken by surprise by what Michael just said. _'I can't believe I said that out loud!' _Michael thought embarrassingly. _'I can't believe he said that out loud!' _Jade thought in shock. For a long moment, neither one said anything. Michael turned away from Jade, not wanting her to see the embarrassment on his face. Then without warning, Jade took Michael's hand and put it in both of hers. He turned back to look in response, and he was shocked that she didn't look angry or offended. She looked happy and joyful. Michael was really unprepared for what she said next.

"I love you too, Michael. I am totally and madly in love with you too, happy?" Jade said sweetly and playfully. Michael found himself smiling and felt very happy himself. "You mean that?" he asked nervously. Jade then pressed her lips against his, and engaged in a passionate kiss. When they broke after a while, Jade said, "Does that answer that your question?" Michael nodded with the most stunned expression in his whole life! Jade laughed, and soon Michael was too. He then pulled her in for another kiss, one that lasted a lot longer. The moment their lips had locked again, the circus' fireworks had started. It was the perfect ending to the near perfect day of their lives. Neyla, Shangdi's weapon, the Zodiac Gems, none of that mattered now. Now, there was only Michael Cooper and Jade Summers, the happiest new couple in the world, making out like there was no tomorrow.


	12. Chapter 12 Brains and Brawn

Hey, its time for the quest to continue! Enjoy!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 12- Brains and Brawn

Beijing, China: Safe House. Day 6, 11:00 am: Everyone had just finished up eating breakfast and stared at the map again. It wasn't long before the next gem's location revealed itself to Michael. "Okay guys, here is the gem clue: _"To find the Horse Zodiac Gem, travel to the East side of the Great Wall." _"Well, that one's easy," said Bentley. "You guys will have to go to the Great Wall of China and search at the East end until you find the temple. Now that Neyla has taken Ra, we have to work faster to get the weapon." Michael nodded as he and his companions once again step into the _Deliverer_ and vanished in a flash of light. When they arrived at the Great Wall, they were amazed. Not only was it as big as they imagined, but it stretched as far as the eye can see. Michael then turned to face Jade and Prince. "Let's split up to cover the whole East side. Prince, you head left. Jade and I will look on the right hand side. If you find anything unusual, let us know." Prince nodded as they separated.

Michael and Jade were searching as hard as they can for anything out of the ordinary. "I have never been to the Great Wall before," Jade said as they walked. "My parents and I wanted to come here for years, but we could never go anywhere with Muscles and his goons watching us practically all the time." Michael held her hand and smiled. "Hey, you're here now, right?" Jade smiled back. "Yeah, I am here. I am also glad that you're with me." She kissed him on the cheek, making Michael blush in the process. They looked for 15 minutes before hearing the call. "Michael, Jade, I think I found the entrance to the Horse Temple. I'll teleport you here." Michael thanked him as he and Jade disappeared and reappeared with Prince in front of them. The wolf prince then pointed to a staircase leading down to a door with a horse portrait on it. "Alright, nice work Prince! Let's see what we are up against this time."

They walked down to the door. When Michael tried to push it, however, it didn't open. "Hey, what's the deal?" He continued to push, but it wouldn't budge. "Man, why won't it open?" Jade took a closer look at the portrait. She then gasped. Prince and Michael turned to her. "What is it Jade?" Prince asked. The young panther pointed at the horse portrait. "There is a riddle at the bottom of the portrait. It says: _To open this door and proceed, you must answer this puzzle. What do you call an enemy who you thought was your friend?_" Michael grunted. "I hate riddles and puzzles; I was never good at them." Prince thought the answer instantly. "I know the answer. An enemy who you thought was your friend…is a traitor." He answered sourly. At that moment, the door swung open.

Michael and Jade turned to Prince, astonished. "How did you know that was the answer?" Michael asked. Prince looked angered. "It was easy; I just remembered my parents telling me about Volroth, the one who they thought they could trust but who turned out to be a backstabber." Prince immediately walked inside without hesitation, with Michael and Jade right behind him. They could tell that he was a little upset about that particular subject. They walked until they reached the temple, which was huge and magnificent. However, the Horse guardian was nowhere to be seen. Prince was still breathing heavily from anger. Jade and Michael stood beside him. He looked at them both. "I am sorry; it's just that it is still a painful subject to talk about. That old monster kidnapped my mother when she was still pregnant with me, he nearly killed everyone he betrayed, and he showed no remorse for his actions. I am glad he's gone."

Michael put a hand on his shoulder. "That's in the past now." "Michael is right, let's focus on the here and now. Don't think about it anymore." Jade replied. Prince smiled at his friends. "Thank you, that means a lot to me." Just then, they heard a whooshing sound and looked ahead. An old, black horse wearing a dark blue robe had just appeared. His brown eyes stared at the trio. "Welcome, I am the Guardian of the Horse Zodiac Gem. I'm pleased you answered the riddle at the door, but make no mistake, the next one will be much harder to solve." Michael's jaw dropped. "Another riddle!? Why?!" The guardian stared at him. "Because, Michael Cooper, it is the only way for you to claim my gem. Also, you are the one that must solve it, although your friends are welcome to give you hints and suggestions. Do you accept?" Michael looked from the guardian to Jade and Prince, and then back to the guardian with a look of resolve.

"What is the riddle?" Michael asked reluctantly. The guardian smiled as he spoke. _"Air, Water, Earth, and Fire: The 4 elements of nature they are. Without one, nature cannot exist. Together, nature is at its best by far. 3 are present, yet one is absent. Which element is missing?"_ Michael and the others were totally stumped on this one. "You have 10 minutes to solve it. If you fail, the gem will forever be lost to you." The guardian finished. Confused, Michael turned to his friends. "What kind of a riddle was that?" They shrugged. "Let's just try to figure it out." Jade answered. They huddled. "Which element is missing?" Michael repeated. Jade replied. "Well, let's start by figuring out which elements _are_ here." Michael nodded. "Okay, there is air in here, otherwise we can't breathe. And we are obviously standing on earth, that's two. That just leaves water and fire."

They looked around the temple more closely this time. There weren't any lanterns or fireplaces anywhere; the only light was coming from the windows near the ceiling. "Since there are no lanterns or fireplaces, maybe fire is the missing element." Michael said. Prince shook his head. "I don't think it is that simple. There is also no sign of any water in here either." He was right; there were no devices in the temple that would deliver water. Michael was stumped again. "But that doesn't make any sense! Two elements are missing, not one. How can there be 3 in this place?" They thought in silence for nearly 7 minutes. Michael thought about the 3 present elements. _'In order to find out which element is missing, I need to know which 3 are here, right now. Jade, Prince, and I need to…'_ Michael was suddenly hit by a wave of possibility.

"Is it possible?" He asked out loud. Jade and Prince looked at him, confused. "What is possible, Michael?" Jade asked. The raccoon looked at them in the eyes. "What if _we_ are the 3 elements?" Both Jade and Prince looked shocked. "What makes you say that?" Prince asked. Michael shrugged. "Why not? There are 3 of us in here, right? The Horse guardian said there were 3 elements in this temple as well. Maybe, somehow, we represent those three elements!" Prince, still shocked, shook his head. "That still doesn't make any since to me. How could we represent elements of nature?" Jade snapped her fingers. "I think he is right, Prince." Michael and Prince turned to her. "How?" Prince asked. Jade then started her explanation. "When I was in the 7th grade, I learned that people represent different elements of nature, depending on their personalities, behaviors, and ways of thinking.

"For example, one of my teachers said I represented Water because of my habit of "going with the flow" and my flexible personality. Prince, I think you represent Earth because you are firm and very straightforward. Michael, you'll most likely be Fire because of your passion and strong spirit." Michael and Prince gaped at this. Michael then replied. "If what you are saying is true, that we represent different elements, then the missing element must be…" "Your time is up." The three of them turned to face the Horse guardian, his arms folded. "Michael Cooper, do you have your answer for the riddle?" Michael then walked up to him. "Yes, I have my answer." The guardian nodded. "Alright, then what is the missing element?" Michael took a deep breath, let it out, and then gave his answer. "The missing element…is Air." The guardian stood silent for a long moment, frowning.

Michael was starting to think that he may have given the wrong answer after all. But just as he was thinking that, the guardian smiled and put his hand on Michael's shoulder. "You have answered correctly." Michael and the others smiled as well. "The elements of nature can be seen in people, as well as in nature itself. Well done, Michael Cooper." The guardian then reached into his robe and pulled out the blue horse shaped gemstone and gave it to Michael. "Here is the Horse Zodiac Gem. You have earned it. You are now one step closer to Shangdi's weapon, and your destiny." Michael, Jade, and Prince bowed to the guardian and turned to leave. Before they walked out, however, the guardian asked them to stop. "Wait; there is something else you need to know before continuing your quest." "What is it?" Michael asked. The guardian turned to Jade. "Jade Summers, please describe a person who represents Air."

Jade, looking stunned, answered at once. "Well, a person who represents Air has to be at peace in mind and spirit, and has to have a heart as pure as the air we breathe." The old horse nodded. "Precisely. Now, you all have to know this. There is another person who should join your group to help you." They became shocked. "What?! What makes you say that?!" Michael asked. "You three have been brought together by destiny, and you share a strong bond of friendship and spirit. However, one other must join you in order to succeed and stop Neyla. Michael, you represent Fire; Jade represents Water, and Prince represents Earth. Once the one who represents Air joins you, your team will be complete. This fourth person will be of great help in the near future. Also, you will need that person to open the compartment to Shangdi's weapon…"

Michael interrupted him. "Hold on a second! I thought to get the weapon we needed to get all 12 Zodiac Gems?" The guardian nodded. "You do need all of the gems…to locate the weapon's hiding place and open its door. However, once inside, the 4 Chosen Ones must enter the chamber and open the container with the weapon inside. Only those four can succeed." In shock and anger, Michael yelled at the horse. "Why weren't we told about this before? Why wasn't it in the legend?" The guardian held up his hands. "Calm down, young one. You and your friends were not told about the 4th person because you weren't ready to know until the time was right; this was the right time to tell. The legend never mentioned this because it was purposely left out to keep all 4 of you safe incase some evil might hunt you down and force you to take the weapon for them."

When he finished, the trio were standing thunderstruck from this new revelation. "Horse guardian, how will we know when we have met the person who represents Air? Is it someone we know?" The old horse turned to the wolf prince and smiled. "No, the 4th Chosen One is someone you have yet to encounter. You will know who it is…when that person crosses paths with you." Before they could ask another question, the guardian vanished. Still in shock, the trio walked out the temple and headed back outside. When they closed the door behind them, the door disappeared. Michael then contacted Bentley that they got the gem and ask him to bring them back. "When we're back," Michael added, "there is something very important we need to tell you." "Like what?" Bentley asked. "You'll find out when we get back." After he said this, the three disappeared in blue light once more. They didn't know that when they left, an evil laugh could be heard across the wall...

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Unknown Location, 3:00 pm: Neyla was talking to her minion, who was in a shadowy room where his face could not be seen. When she entered, he was a little peeved. His voice sounded mechanical, like a machine. "What do you want NOW? I am busy preparing my latest creation for the ritual; I cannot afford to be constantly interrupted!" Neyla smirked. "Easy doctor, I just came by to check on your progress. How far along are you?" Neyla asked. The doctor, though still annoyed, gave her the update. "Everything is on schedule; the machine will be ready by the morning of the Day of Armageddon." The tigress nodded. "Excellent, soon I shall have my godly powers permanently!" The doctor coughed a little. "Don't forget our agreement. I expect you to hold up your end of the bargain." Neyla snorted.

"I haven't forgotten our deal, doctor. You gave me the devices to deactivate the security systems in the Paris museum, and you are building a machine to perform the ritual. In exchange, I shall give you…riches beyond your wildest dreams." Neyla then left the room, leaving the doctor alone with his work. As he continued working on the mysterious machine, he laughed insanely. "Soon, I too will get my revenge on the two people responsible for my humiliation!" He continued to laugh while working with seemingly cybernetic hands…

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Beijing, China: Safe House. Day 6, 1:00 pm: When Michael, Jade, and Prince had finished explaining what the Horse guardian told them, the three adults were completely shocked. "I don't believe it! Someone else is supposed to join you for the quest to Shangdi's weapon?" The trio all nodded. Murray was ecstatic. "Oh wow, I wonder who it could be." "Maybe it is one of us," said Panda King. Michael shook his head. "No, the guardian said it is someone who we have not met yet. But whoever it is, I just hope he or she will come by soon." Jade turned to him. "I'm sure that when the time is right, our 4th stranger will come along." They all agreed as they poured over the map again for the next gem. As usual, Michael found it within seconds.

"Alright, here is Zodiac Gem #10: _"To find the Ox Zodiac Gem, search at the West side of the Great Wall."_ They were stunned. "Well, looks like it is back to the Great Wall, eh?" Michael said. Shrugging, the trio stepped once more in the teleporting machine and disappeared to their next destination. When they reappeared at the Great Wall, they began to go separate directions to find the Ox Temple. Half an hour later, Michael and Jade found something: An engraving of an ox on path they were walking on. Once Prince had joined them, they studied it. "I hope this isn't another riddle opening door." Michael said annoyingly. While they were studying it, Prince had suddenly turned his head to the left, eyes narrowed. Michael and Jade looked up to see his reaction. "What's up, Prince?" Michael asked.

The young wolf moved his eyes from left to right, listening for anything unusual. "I feel like we're…" but before he could finish his sentence, the stone step with the ox engraving slid open and the trio immediately fell down. The trap door closed back once they had disappeared. Not too far, the unknown figure emerged from the left side of the wall after the group fell. He wiped his brow. "That was too close; the wolf nearly spotted me. I better not be so near when they reemerge. I do not want them to know about me until the time is right…" He disappeared over the wall side, once more out of sight. Meanwhile, under the trap door, Michael and his friends landed with a thud. "Ouch, next time I'm wearing a pillow on my butt for these trap doors." Michael said as he massaged his behind. They laughed as they got up and looked around.

The Ox Temple was different than the others they have seen; it looked like an arena of some kind, with a big chalk circle on the floor. They heard snorting behind them and turned around; without a single doubt, this was the Ox Guardian. He looked old, but he had huge muscles on his arms, legs, and chest. He wore turquoise armor and had shiny horns. He was about 10 ft tall; he easily towered over the trio. Michael and the gang stared into his big, yellow eyes and shivered. "I am the Ox Guardian. I was wondering you three would show up; stretching for centuries tends to get boring." He then pointed at Michael. "Michael Cooper, you must face me in a wrestling match; muscle against muscle. You must push me outside the ring to win. If you win, the Ox Zodiac Gem is yours. If not, you will go no further in your quest." Michael's jaw dropped to the floor. "You got to be kidding me?! I can't beat you in a wrestling match; I'm a toothpick compared to you!" The huge guardian glared at him.

"Is that a sign of cowardice in your voice, young Cooper?" Michael then got steamed. "Hey, I'm no coward, Horn Head! You're on!" The ox nodded and grunted as he stepped into the ring, and stood waiting for him. As Michael began to enter the ring, Jade grabbed his arm. "Michael, wait! How can you beat someone that strong looking? It's insane!" Prince couldn't agree more. "She is right, Michael; muscle alone can't possibly be enough to win his gem. There must be a way to win without injuring yourself." Michael turned to face the guardian. "I'm sure there is a way. I'll…just, uh…improvise." He then stepped into the ring, standing in front of the guardian. "Are you ready?" he asked. Michael looked determined. "Bring it on!" he shouted. The ox and Michael raised their arms, and the ox yelled, "BEGIN!"

Michael immediately ran towards the well muscled guardian, but he was stopped by one of the guardians hands. His hand was on Michael's head, and Michael couldn't get any closer as he struggled. With one little push, the guardian knocked Michael down on his back, causing him to slide the very edge of the ring! Jade and Prince were shocked by the guardian's strength; they don't see how Michael was going to win this one. Michael slowly got back up on his feet, glaring at the guardian. "What, is that all you got?" The guardian smiled menacingly. "I was about to ask you the same thing, Michael. I expected you to be more of a challenge. If this is all you got, however…" He then jumped in front of Michael, and his landing caused the whole temple to shake a little. Michael almost fell again. He looked up at the guardian's face; it looked scary! _'Man, how can I possibly beat a guy with that kind of muscle?!'_

As if hearing Michael's thoughts, the guardian spoke to him. "If you want to defeat me, you'll have to unlock your spirit energy, and let it flow through your body. It will give you much more power." Michael looked confused. "What are you talking about? How am I supposed to unlock my "spirit energy"?" The guardian glared again. "I have told you all you need to know. Now you'll either win or lose…take your pick!" He then grabbed Michael and lifted him over his head. Jade and Prince were really worried now. "Michael, don't give up!" "You can win this, I know you can!" Michael was struggling to free himself, but it was useless; his opponent was far too strong for him. As he was about to give up, he heard a voice in his head. _'Don't ever give up, Michael. Search inside yourself, feel the energy stored in your spirit, and release it. Only then, will you be able to move further in your journey…'_

Michael, startled by the voice, closed his eyes and breathed calmly. Jade and Prince were shocked that Michael is not moving anymore. As the guardian was about to throw Michael out of the ring, Michael's eyes snapped open and broke free of the ox's grip! After he landed back on his feet, he smiled confidently at his opponent. The other three were surprised that Michael managed to escape, especially the guardian. He then smiled himself. "Ah, I see you finally tapped into your spirit energy. Now we can really have a match." "Actually, I think this match is going to be one-sided…with me on the winning side!" Michael and the guardian ran into each other again, this time Michael didn't fall back. They locked hands, trying to push each other out the ring. As they pushed each other, the guardian saw fire within Michael's eyes; he was no weakling anymore.

Michael smiled more broadly as he pushed the ox backwards towards his end of the ring. Jade and Prince were cheering Michael on. When they finally reached the edge, Michael looked straight into the guardian's face. "This is for trash talking me earlier!" With one great push, Michael threw the guardian out of the ring and into the temple wall with a crash! Michael breathed heavily as he relaxed and turned to his friends; they were dumbstruck by Michael's recent strength. "How did you get so strong all of a sudden?" asked Jade. Michael smirked. "Let's just a little voice in my head gave me some encouragement." Neither she nor Prince knew what he was talking about, although Michael did. _'Thanks for the assist… Slytankhamon.'_

After the guardian got back up on his feet, he was laughing loudly. "That was an outstanding performance, Michael Cooper! You definitely deserve my gem!" He then walked to the right hand wall, opened a secret compartment, and drew out a turquoise ox-shaped gemstone. He then gave it to Michael. "Here is the Ox Zodiac Gem. You have earned it most excellently. Keep it, and the others, safe from evil hands." They bowed to each other, and then the ox magically sent the trio back to the spot where they fell from. Michael, Jade, and Prince were definitely pleased. "Man, that was definitely the toughest gem to get by far! But it sure was worth it!" They all laughed as they contacted Bentley. "Great, another gem is ours! I'll bring you guys back right away!" While they waited, Michael and Jade turned to Prince. "Hey Prince, what was it you were going to say before we fell on our butts?" Michael asked.

Prince looked suddenly serious. He took a quick look around and whispered to his companions. "What I was trying to say before was that…I think we were being watched earlier." The new couple looked surprised. "Watched, by whom?" Jade asked. Prince shook his head. "I don't know, but I think we have to be very careful when we search for the last two gems." At that moment, they disappeared in blue light once again, taking them back to the Safe House. Less than a mile away, the cloaked figure stood with a grim look in his eyes. "So, it seems that they have already suspected that they have a peeping tom watching over their shoulders. I'll have to make my move sooner than I planned, but it won't matter…in the end I shall have what I have been seeking for years!" He laughed evilly as he disappeared on the other side of the wall.


	13. Chapter 13 A Deadly Choice

Hey. I believe it is time for a new twist to be added to this story! Read to find out! Enjoy!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 13- A Deadly Choice

Beijing, China: Safe House. Day 6, 4:00 pm: Michael, Jade, and Prince were discussing with the adults about their "peeping tom" for hours, after which time they have made the whole place sound proof; nothing inside can be heard from outside, thanks to some gizmos Bentley had concocted. The idea that someone, possibly evil, knew about the Zodiac Gems and Shangdi's weapon was disturbing. "But we don't know if this guy knows anything," says Bentley. "Whoever is watching you three, you have to be extremely vigilant." Panda King said in agreement. "Hey, what if it is the 4th Chosen One whose been watching you guys?" Murray asked. Michael shook his head. "I don't think so; if that was our soon to be ally, he or she would have shown him or herself by now." "I think we have to be more watchful on our next gem hunt, don't you think Prince?" She turned to face Prince, but the young wolf was not among the group. Everyone was surprised. "Prince? Where is he?" Jade asked. Just then, Prince came out of the bedroom he shared with Michael. "I am sorry; I had to check on something. Everything is fine," he said convincingly.

Shrugging, Michael pressed back to the map. He immediately found the next gem's hiding place. "Here we go: _"To locate the Snake Zodiac Gem, search along the South side of the Great Wall."_ Somehow, he wasn't surprised to have to return to the same famous landmark three times in a row. "I guess the Great Wall must have been a popular spot for hiding precious gemstones." The three of them headed inside the _Deliverer_ again and waited to be sent to the Great wall once more. "Guys, contact me if you see anyone unfriendly." "We will," said Michael as they vanished in blue light. After they were gone, Bentley turned back to his companions. "If someone is watching our team, who could it be? And why?" Panda King shrugged. "Only time will tell. I just hope that Michael and the others will be…" Suddenly, they heard their being hammered! The three of them stood side by side, staring at the door. They stood firm, though surprised. "Who could that possibly be? No one else knows that this building is occupied." Bentley said confusingly.

At that moment, the door crashed down to the floor, smoke was rising. Once the smoke was cleared, a figure emerged with a nasty grin on his face…

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Great Wall, 4:10 pm: Michael and the others have just arrived at the Great Wall's south side. This time, they didn't have to split up, for when they arrived, they found a dead snake right in front of them. Jade winced a little as she saw it. Michael got a closer look, and realized it was a sign. "I think it supposed to point us in the right direction." He saw the snake's tongue sticking out towards the nearby door. "Let's go." The trio then approached the door, which had a large and dangerous looking viper on it. Michael pushed it open and they all walked in right behind him. They continued to walk down the staircase, and the air was getting colder as they went. "Why is it so cold?" Jade asked. Prince answered. "I don't know; but I think we should stick closer together for warmth." They agreed as they walked much closer together. After a few minutes, they finally arrived at what appeared to be the Snake Temple.

It was not like the other temples they have visited. It was covered in snake skins and had only a single torch for light. The atmosphere in there didn't feel as welcoming as before. "Maybe we stepped into the wrong temple," asked Michael. At that instant, they heard Jade scream loudly and painfully, right before she fell to the floor! Michael and Prince knelt beside her in shock and fear. "Jade! What happened?" Michael asked her. The young panther pointed to her right ankle. "My ankle…something bit it…hard. It…hurts so much…!" The two males were shocked at their situation. "Also, I'm starting…to have trouble…breathing." Jade said as she began to cough. Michael was starting to look pale. "She's been poisoned!" "You couldn't be more right." Michael, Prince, and the poisoned Jade looked behind them.

The voice came from an ancient looking king cobra wearing a dark green robe. His yellow slit like eyes met the young raccoon's. "She was just bitten by my most poisonous servant. She will die in 10 minutes." Shocked, Michael got on his feet and yelled at him. "Who do you think you are, poisoning my girlfriend?" The cobra bowed. "Why…I am the Guardian of the Snake Zodiac Gem, of course." The trio was thunderstruck now. "Wait, if you're a Zodiac Gem guardian, why did you hurt Jade? The other guardians did nothing to harm us!" Prince asked angrily. The guardian shrugged. "Does it matter? What is done is done." Michael was on the verge of shouting his mouth out again when the guardian held up his hand. "She is not lost, however. I have the antidote to cure her with." "Where is it?" Michael asked furiously. The snake turned and pointed at the back wall of the temple.

The wall opened to reveal two altars. One contained what looked like a small bottle with red liquid, while the other contains the item they came here for. "As you can see, both the antidote and my gem are right there." Michael began to walk towards them, but the guardian stepped in front of him. "Get out of my way!" Michael yelled. The snake shook his head. "What did you plan to do, take both items at once?" The raccoon stared at the old reptile. "The thought had crossed my mind." Once again, the guardian shook his hooded head. "It is not that simple. Have you not figured out what my challenge is?" Michael became confused once more, before a shocking possibility occurred to him! "No, don't tell me that I can only…" "That you can only choose one item?" the guardian finished Michael's sentence for him. "Yes that is exactly what my challenge is, young one."

Michael felt like he had all the breath knocked out of him; he couldn't believe what he had just heard. "Only one item? You got to be joking scale face!" The guardian just stood there, looking indifferent. "Only one item can be taken. Once you make your choice, the item you have not chosen will instantly disintegrate. If you have not made a choice in 10 minutes, both items will be destroyed, and Jade will die." Michael couldn't believe any of this. He turned back to Prince. He had an idea. "Prince, can't you use your magic to cure Jade?" Prince looked uncertain. "I can try." He raised his hands over Jade's wound. Before he could attempt healing her, however, the guardian interrupted him. "I would not do that if I were you. The poison flowing in her veins has a magical defense mechanism. If someone tries to remove it with magic, the poison will instantly kill its victim."

Prince was starting to pale with shock as well, even though he has white fur. He turned back to Michael in hopelessness. Michael, felling just as hopeless, turned back at the guardian. "Come on, you old snake! Don't you realize that taking a life is just wrong? Just change the challenge so that Jade isn't dying!" Once more, the guardian shook his head. "It has already begun, and you only have 8 minutes to make your choice. So choose wisely." The guardian backed off so that he could Michael some breathing space. Inside his mind, Michael was struggling with himself, trying to figure a way out of this. But he couldn't think of one; this was a hopeless situation. _'If I take the antidote, I'll be able to save Jade. But then I'll lose the Snake Gem, and without all 12 gems, I can't find Shangdi's weapon and use it defeat Neyla and free my parents. On the other hand, if I take the gem, I'll be able to continue the mission. But then Jade's only hope for survival will be gone, as well as her life! Oh man, what should I do!'_

"Michael!" Michael snapped out of his thoughts of despair as he heard Jade's rasping voice. "Listen…take the gem (cough). Don't worry about me… (cough) you need to save your parents…and stop Neyla (cough)." Michael couldn't believe how bad her voice sounded. He didn't want to hear it. "Don't talk Jade! Please, just hang on!" Jade then shook her head. "Michael, I trust you (cough)…and I know you will make the right choice. No matter what happens to me…I will always…love you (cough)." Prince continued to hold her, quietly telling her to not speak. Michael, after hearing those words, felt worse than ever. He didn't want to lose the woman he loved…not so soon…not after they had just gotten together! _'Darn it! Slytankhamen, if you're listening, please tell me what I should do!'_ But no voice came this time. It seems that Michael must make this decision on his own.

Hopelessness continued to develop within him, consuming his very being. Choosing btw the antidote and the snake gem was no different than choosing btw Jade and his parents. He continued to lose hope in the minutes that go by. "Only 5 minutes until it is over, Michael Cooper." Michael pretended that he didn't hear the guardian. He knew how much time was left, but he was no closer to making his choice than at the start. How was he supposed to choose btw saving the girl of his dreams and his family? He wished there was an easier way of deciding, but there was no easy way to make a decision in which a life must be sacrificed. He looked down at his hands, completely lost. _'How could I have allowed this to happen? Jade is dying because Prince and I didn't see that snake bite her! Whatever decision I make, I will lose someone I love…'_

He looked back at Jade, who continued to look worse by the second, then at the gem that seemed to mock him for hesitating. He continued to look from Jade to the gem, trying to decide which was more important. "3 minutes left, Michael." Michael, not wanting to hear the remaining minutes from the old cobra, had suddenly made his choice. "Shut up! I…I have made my choice." Prince and Jade faced him with surprise. The guardian nodded. "Okay, take the item you have chosen." With a sorrowful look on his face, Michael approached the altars. He stared for a second at the items. He then took the one he had chosen, the one he knew could possibly give him some comfort…the antidote. The moment that Michael took it, the gem had crumbled to dust. He turned back towards his friends. They were shocked that Michael had chosen the antidote, especially Jade!

Without looking at the guardian, Michael walked back to Prince and Jade carrying the bottle that could save his loved one's life. Still without looking at the guardian, Michael asked him how he should give Jade the antidote. "You must pour half of it on the bite mark, and then pour the other half on her throat. The effects will be instantaneous." Michael then did as the cobra instructed. In a matter of seconds the bite mark had disappeared, and after pouring it on her throat, Jade's breathing became easier. Her pain had stopped and she started to get back up, with Michael's and Prince's support. Jade, after fully recovering from the poison, faced Michael with an angry look. "Michael, why did you do that?! I told you to get the gem! Now there is no way to find Shangdi's weapon and save your parents!" Michael shook his head. "I know, but what is the point of saving my parents, and the world, if the woman I love is not with me to enjoy it with?"

Jade then smiled warmly at him and hugged him. "Thank you, Michael." Prince patted his shoulder. "That was a real tough decision to make, Michael. I'm glad that we won't be losing Jade. But how are we going to stop Neyla now without finding Shangdi's weapon?" Michael shrugged. "Honestly, I have no idea. But I know that until the ritual begins, my parents are still alive. Therefore, there is still hope. We just need to find another way to fight Neyla." They then heard clapping behind them and turned around; it was the snake guardian. He seemed very pleased. "Very optimistic of you, Michael Cooper. You have chosen to save the one you love instead of the key to a powerful weapon. You chose your heart over power. Because of that, you have earned this reward." The guardian reached into his robes and pulled out something that made the trio gasp: the snake gem.

He then gave it to Michael, who was still in a state of shock. "But, I don't understand! I saw the gem turn to dust just a second ago!" The cobra laughed. "What you saw turned to dust was a mere copy; the real gem has been with me all along." Michael didn't know what to say, but Jade certainly did. "You're saying that you put me through a near death experience just to prove something?!" The guardian nodded. "I had to make sure that Michael's heart was in the right place. If he had chosen the copy, it had meant that he cared more about the weapon than saving his beloved. I am glad that he didn't make that choice." Michael was smiling now, thankful that both Jade was going to live and that he was only one gem away from finding the weapon that could save his parents. The trio bowed to the snake guardian, and Michael thanked him for helping him light his way a little more.

Before they turned to leave, the guardian had one more thing to tell them. "I am impressed about your progress. You have nearly all the Zodiac Gems; only 1 remains. But I must tell you; the Dragon Zodiac Gem will be the toughest to claim of all. You must be prepared, or you will surely fail." "What is the challenge for the last gem?" Prince asked. The guardian only smiled. "Only the Dragon Guardian can tell you that." With that last statement, the Snake Guardian vanished in a thin air. Michael shook his head. "Man, I wish these guardians would stop leaving us hanging like this." They laughed as they returned to the outside, and the door disappeared behind them. Before they contacted Bentley, they looked around and over both sides of the wall. They have seen no one around. They huddled together. "Whoever has been watching us lately doesn't seem to be around now." Jade said.

"I'm sure glad of that, now let's get back and put the gem in our safe place." Michael as he turned on his receiver. "Hey Uncle Bentley, we got the snake gem! Only one more to go, can you believe it?" He heard no answer. Concerned, he tried again. "Uncle Bentley, you there?" There was still no response. Jade and Prince started to look worried, but not as worried as Michael. "Uncle Murray, can you hear me? Panda King, please say something! Is anybody there?" He shouted. He could hear nothing on the other end. He looked at his companions in distress. "Why won't they answer?" Neither of them said anything. They were just as confused as he was. Determined to find out, he turned to Prince. "Prince, looks like you will have to send us back to the Safe House." But the young prince shook his head.

"No, that is a bad idea. What if someone unfriendly is waiting for us to return? I refuse to put my friends in enemy hands." Michael didn't want to hear it. "Please, I need to get back there and find out what's happened!" Jade held his arm. "We'll find out Michael, but there has to be a safe way." Prince agreed. "Exactly, which is why I will go back alone." The couple looked shocked. "No way, Prince! You can't go there by yourself!" "Michael is right. We don't want anything to happen to you." Prince nodded. "I understand, but I promise to be careful and will be back in an instant. Before I head back, I need someone to hold on to this." He then gave Michael a small brown bag. He opened it to find that it has nothing but a bunch of small pebbles in it. "This is just a bag of rocks! Why do you want me to hold on to this?" But when he looked back up, Prince had already gone.

Worried, Michael sat down next to the edge of the wall. Jade sat next to him. "Don't worry Michael; I'm sure the others are alright. Prince is a warrior and has powerful magic; he can hold his own." Michael didn't feel so certain. "I lost my parents because some power hungry maniac has captured them. I don't want to lose the people who are like family to me the same way." Jade leaned her head on his shoulder for support, which Michael fully appreciated. A few minutes later, Prince had returned in a flash of golden light. The look on his face did not comfort Michael in the slightest as he and Jade got up. "So, what happened? Are they alright?" The young wolf shook his head. "There was nobody there, and the whole apartment has been completely demolished! There were definite signs of a struggle, and…Slytankhamen's map was taken."

Michael and Jade stood there, horrorstruck by this news. Prince then took out a piece of paper and handed it to Michael. "I found this on Bentley's laptop." Preparing himself, Michael began to read it aloud. Each word brought more discomfort to him.

"_Michael Cooper, _

_I have something that belongs to you, and you have something that I want. If you want your so called "family" back, bring all the Zodiac Gems you've collected to a large cave at the foot of the Himalayan Mountains by sundown. If you don't…I think we both know what will happen. Do not be late! I will be waiting for you outside the cave entrance. _

_Anonymous_

_P.S. Tell your wolf friend to not use any magical stunts to stop me! I am fully aware of his abilities, and I will be prepared for them."_

Jade put her hands to her mouth, while Prince just looked at Michael in complete sorrow. Michael, however, was madder than he has ever been in his life. He crumpled the note and screamed his lungs out in anger. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" He bent his head down, in complete despair once again. Jade had put her arm around him to try to comfort him. "I'm so sorry Michael." The raccoon just kept shaking his head. "I can't believe it happened again. Not again!!" He began to weep. Jade didn't know what else to say, so she just held him. While she was holding him, Jade realized something about the note. "Prince, why did the kidnapper ask us to bring the Zodiac Gems to him? I mean, they were at the Safe House as well as the map. He took map, why not the gems too?" Michael then looked up at his wolf friend. "Yeah, (sniff) doesn't the kidnapper have the gems already?" Prince now smiled as he shook his head.

"No, whoever took Bentley, Murray, and Panda King did not take the gems. Although I did find the vault blasted open, I doubt he found anything important." Michael and Jade looked at him in confusion. Prince then asked for the bag of pebbles he gave Michael earlier. Still confused, he gave the bag to the prince. Prince then emptied all the pebbles on the ground. He then held his hand over them and his eyes glowed golden once more. At that instant, all the pebbles that were there were replaced by all the gems that they have worked so hard to find! The couple looked thunderstruck as they looked up at Prince again. "Those _pebbles_ were the Zodiac Gems?!" The young wolf nodded. "Before we left to find the snake gem, I said I had to take care of something in the bedroom. I was actually taking all the gems out of the vault, used my magic to change them into pebbles, and put them all inside this bag.

"I then carried it with me ever since. I did it encase someone tried to break in to find the gems while we were gone." Michael and Jade were surprised by this explanation. "Wow Prince, good thinking!" Jade said. Michael was pleased too, but still really down. "That was a great idea Prince, but that didn't stop my uncles and Panda King from being taken hostage." Jade and Prince's grins vanished as they remembered the problem. Michael couldn't think of a way to get his family friends back without handing over the Zodiac Gems; they have worked too hard to find them, and they are not just going to give them to some psychopath. As they stood there in thought, they heard footsteps on their left. Startled, they turned around to see who was there, while protecting the gems. The new figure was tall and thin, wore a cloak, and held a staff.

"Who are you?" Michael asked the stranger. "Are you the one who wrote this?" he shouted as he showed the note to the newcomer. The figure slowly approached the trio and stopped a few feet in front of Michael. "I was not the one who wrote that," said the stranger, whose voice was female. She sounded calm. "Then do you work for the kidnapper?" Jade asked. The cloaked woman shook her head. "No, I am not involved in the kidnapping whatsoever." Prince spoke next. "Then why are you here?" She did not move. "I have heard your friend's cry of pain not too far away, and came here to see if I can help." Michael snorted. "What makes you think you can help us?" Michael asked impatiently. The stranger moved a little closer to Michael; she was about his height. She continued to speak calmly. "I can help you because I know who was responsible, and I despise him for his wicked ways."

The trio looked stunned. "You know the kidnapper?" Michael asked. She nodded. "Yes, I know him like the back of my hand. I wish to help you free your loved ones from his grasp." Michael and the others huddled again. "What do you guys think?" Jade asked. "She seems sincere about her desire to help us. Maybe we should give her a chance." Michael retorted. "How do we know she is not setting us up for a trap? She could be working for him for all we know." "But she just said she doesn't work for him." Jade said. Michael shook his head. "I still don't trust anyone wearing a disguise." They continued to debate for another 5 minutes. "Look Michael, time is short and unless we come up with a good plan, we'll never get them back." Prince said. "I agree with him, Michael. Let's just give her a chance." Michael looked at their determined looks, and decided that he was desperate enough to try anything.

"Alright, but I'm keeping an eye on her." They then turned back to the mysterious woman, who was still there. "Have you decided on your next course of action?" Michael stepped in front of the group. "Yeah, we have made our decided. You can hang with us, but we don't want any funny stuff from you." The woman nodded. "I understand, and thank you for putting your faith and trust in me. I will not disappoint you." Michael then stepped right in front of her. "Before we plan anything, tell us who you are." She nodded again. "Of course, I prefer to show myself to my allies rather than my enemies." She then removed her hood. The woman was a teenaged eagle. She had bright white and brown feathers, sapphire eyes, and a short but strong looking beak. She held out her hand to Michael. "My name is Sarah, a nomad from the Northern regions of China." Michael shook her hand, welcoming her to the group. "I'm Michael Cooper, and that's my girlfriend, Jade, and our close pal, Prince." She bowed to each of them.

"Okay, now that the introductions are over with, let's plan how we are going to pull this off." Michael said as they decided to head back to the Safe House, which was deserted now. Before Prince used his magic sent them back, Michael got the strangest feeling that Sarah could be as trustworthy as she claims, but even more strangely, he felt he had somehow expected her to come and help…


	14. Chapter 14 Operation Payback

Hi, everyone! Time for our "mystery villain" to be revealed! Let's find out now!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 14- Operation Payback

Cave at Himalayas, China. Day 6, 9:00 pm: The cloaked figure stood outside the cave, waiting for his "delivery" to arrive. He was confident that he will get what he wanted. _'Soon, I shall have what was always meant for me!'_ He smiled as he saw a certain someone appeared carrying a large case. It was Michael Cooper, and he didn't look happy. Michael stopped about a few feet from the stranger. The man laughed evilly. "I see you have arrived right on schedule with _my_ Zodiac Gems; excellent!" He laughed again as Michael's face didn't change, nor his attitude. "Shut up! I'm not in a good mood, so let's just get this over with." "I couldn't agree more my young friend. Hand over the gems and I shall release your "family", who are just fine before you ask."

Michael shook his head. "Not so fast, scumbag! First, tell me who you are and why you want the gems." The disguised villain narrowed his eyes. "Why should I bother answering?" he asked arrogantly. "Because if you don't, you're not getting a single gem from me!" Michael shouted. The man stood there, looking murderous. "If you don't give me the gems, you won't see your loved ones again!" the man retorted. They both stood there, in a stalemate. Anger filled up both of them; Michael for having his close friends taken from him, and the cloaked man for not getting what he desired. Finally, the evil figure took a deep breath and calmed down a bit. "Fine, young Cooper, you will get your answers. However, after I have finished explaining myself, you will give me the gems immediately!" Michael nodded reluctantly. The man then took off his cloak to reveal an aged, buffed up rooster with ancient armor.

"I am the once powerful, glorious General Tsao! I ruled the northern regions of China with an iron fist and crushed anyone who stood against me! However, over a decade ago, I was robbed of all my power and completely humiliated by a gang of thieves led by…" "Sly Cooper, my father," Michael finished with a smirk. "I know; he told me all about you and what he and his friends did to bring you down." Tsao shook his head. "Your father and his band had stolen my family treasure, destroyed the temple it was kept in, and defeated my stone dragon before escaping. But was that enough for them? No! My humiliation wasn't complete until I discovered that Jing King, the Panda King's daughter and my bride, was replaced by a female police officer who arrested me for using hopping vampires!" He shouted.

Michael smiled even more broadly. "That "female police officer" just happened to be my mother, and she always likes to give a good beat down on the criminals she arrests." Tsao shook with anger. "Both of your parents humiliated me that day! I swore I would get my revenge on them for taking everything away from me! And once I escaped from prison, I would do just that!" "What do you mean?" Michael asked. Tsao himself started to smile. "Since my escape, I have learned of the legend of Shangdi's weapon and that the Zodiac Gems alone could lead me to it. I have also learned that Slytankhamen's map, which would locate the gems, was at the museum in Beijing. I was preparing to steal it, but _someone_ had already beaten me to it: _you_." Michael was stunned. "How did you know that I stole the map?"

"Not long after my escape, I have heard that Sly Cooper and Carmelita Fox had gotten married, and had a son." Michael shifted his eyes to the left for a second, then back to Tsao. "I have also discovered that both of your parents had disappeared almost a week ago, and I felt that if I couldn't get revenge on them, I could take it out on their offspring. I had hoped you would follow in your father's footsteps as a thief, and when I heard that the map had been stolen; I thought it would be you. That map was, after all, written by your ancestor; you could not possibly resist it." "Surely, you must have heard that the gangster Muscles had stolen it?" Michael asked. Tsao laughed. "I am clever enough to know when someone takes the fall for another! You framed Muscles for the theft of the map and took the prized parchment with you."

"How could you possibly know that?" a stunned Michael asked. "I was there. I had followed you from the moment you exited from the museum with the map, and I had watched you ever since! Of course, I couldn't follow you to your hideout without being spotted, so I kept my distance." Michael stood there, completely in shock by this news. "You have been spying on me from the start?" Tsao nodded. "Yes, Michael, I have kept a very close eye on you, though you didn't make it easy for me to keep up with all your constant traveling." "That's another thing; how were you able to watch me and my friends while we searched for the gems? We kept moving all over the place!" The evil ex-ruler continued to smile. "When I saw your wolf friend join you, I discovered he had powerful magic within him; magic at a level I had never felt! I used my dark magical arts to forge a link btw myself and the wolf; wherever he went, I went."

Michael was once again shocked by another revelation. "A magical link, using dark magic? What effects will that have on Prince?" Tsao chuckled. "He is not aware of the connection; but he'll start to feel his magic being sapped away very shortly." Michael was pissed off. "You're draining his magic?!" Tsao laughed evilly. "Yes, soon I will be more powerful than ever! And once I find the last Zodiac Gem with the map, I will claim Shangdi's weapon and become truly invincible! I will become the most powerful ruler in the world!!" He laughed insanely. _'Believe me Tsao, you're not the only one with plans for godlike power.'_ Michael thought. While he was still laughing, Michael spoke up again. "Hey Tsao, any progress to finding the last Zodiac Gem?" he asked arrogantly. Tsao instantly stopped laughing instantly and his face turned sour.

"No, unfortunately I am unable to read the map to determine its location. It makes no sense; how could anyone decipher a map that speaks gibberish?!" Michael smiled at this news. "I'm glad the map doesn't work for you, chicken face!" Tsao growled. "How were you and your friends able to read the map while I can't?" Michael moved his eyes to the upwards, and saw a signal from above the cave entrance. Smiling, he focused on Tsao once more. "Only one person on this planet can read the map; _me_." Tsao looked intrigued. "I see, then you will read the map and tell me where the Zodiac Gem of the Dragon is located!" Tsao commanded. Michael shook his head. "That was not part of the deal, Tsao." Tsao spoke in anger. "I'm changing it! Give me your Zodiac Gems and tell me where I can find the last one, and then I will release your friends."

"I want you to break your link with Prince too, otherwise no deal!" Michael retorted. Tsao looked repulsed. "I will not! His power will be mine! Besides, even if I wanted too, I couldn't. The only way the link can be broken is if one of us dies; and I have no desire to taking my own life." Michael then looked sour himself. "Then the deal's off!" Tsao was outraged. "How _dare_ you defy me? I will not be spoken to like that!" Tsao was about to attack when Michael put his hands up. "Alright, alright you win! Take the gems! Just let my friends go!" Michael then kicked the case towards Tsao. Tsao then smiled. "Very good, that's more like it." He was about to open the case when he got kicked in the back of the head! He fell face down on the dirt, looking stunned. "What? Who dares attack Tsao?" "That would be me, you evil tyrant." He turned to see his attacker; it was Sarah.

"Ah, Sarah the nomad; I didn't expect to see you here." Sarah looked at him with disgust. "Nor did I expect such foul play from you. You forging a dark link with one Michael's friends, kidnapping for power for world domination; this cannot be allowed to continue." Sarah raised her staff. "I will end your evil ways myself." Tsao looked amused. "Oh really? I know for a fact that your people can _never_ kill other people!" Sarah did not back down. "Who said anything about _killing_ you?" She then hit Tsao over the head with her staff, causing him to topple again. He looked really pissed off now. "Insolent girl! I shall punish you for your interference!" He got back up and proceeded to tear Sarah apart. He attacked with a series of punches and kicks, but Sarah blocked and dodged them all. She moved so fast and so fluidly that it was like watching air dance.

While they were fighting, Michael ran quickly inside the cave. It was very dark and damp, but it did not have a long tunnel. He soon found what, or rather who, he came in for. Bentley, Murray, and Panda King were already untied, thanks to Jade and Prince. They were pleased with themselves. "Hey Michael, how did it go out there?" Jade asked. Michael did not smile. "Everything went as planned: I kept Tsao talking long enough for you and Prince to enter the cave without being seen, and I'm glad that magic wasn't necessary. Once you two were inside, Sarah gave me the signal and then I "accidentally" made Tsao lose his temper and gave Sarah a great opportunity to attack. She and Tsao are having a little rumble outside, and I got in without Tsao noticing. You guys have the map too, right?" They nodded. Prince then asked him why he didn't look as pleased as they were. Michael looked at the wolf prince and gave the bad news.

"We got a complication." He then told everyone about the connection btw Prince and Tsao. Needless to say, Prince was not happy about it. "That monster! I cannot believe he did this to me!" Michael looked at him sternly. "Listen, Tsao is not going to get away with this. First things first, teleport Jade and the others back to the Safe House, and then you and I can handle feather head." Jade refused. "Michael, I'm not going anywhere! I thought we were a team! I'm with you no matter what, ok?" Michael looked at Jade, and then gave in. "Alright, then Prince will take Bentley, Murray, and Panda King back to the Safe House. The rest of us will help Sarah and meet back later." They all agreed. "Michael, guys; be careful and get back safely." Bentley said with concern. Murray and Panda King also said words of comfort. Prince then teleported them back to the Safe House, safe and sound.

Michael and Prince looked at each other with resolve. "Hey, we'll break that connection. Now let's go kick Tsao's butt." Jade and Prince nodded as they head out back through the cave entrance. When they were outside again, they were shocked to see Sarah losing to Tsao. He had a blade pointing at Sarah's neck, looking at her with a triumphant look on his face. "For a pacifist, you fight well. But you did not fight well enough!" He was about to cut her throat when Jade kicked him in the head, knocking him down. Sarah looked grateful as Michael helped her up. "Thank you, that was too close." Michael shrugged. "That's what friends are for, right?" She smiled. Tsao, furious, got back up and stared at the four standing against him. "So, you all came to face me. It doesn't matter; you are all finished!"

He then shot a blast of dark magic at them, but they all jumped out of the way. After Prince had straightened up, he suddenly felt weak and almost collapsed again. At this, Tsao laughed. "I see that our connection is starting to take its toll on you. Every time I use my magic or when you use yours, your power will be drained. You cannot hope to use your magic against me without killing yourself in the process!" Prince struggled to stay up. Michael, Jade, and Sarah helped him. "You will be okay, Prince." Jade said. They all faced Tsao with determination on their faces. Tsao didn't look afraid. "You think the 4 of you can stop me? You are even more foolish than I thought!" He then focused his attention at Michael. "This is your last chance, boy! Read the map and tell me where the last Zodiac Gem is or I will destroy your friends!" Michael didn't look like he was going to give in.

"Never in a million years, pal! You're not getting anything out of me!" Tsao looked most disappointed. "Fine; you all shall die!" He started to gather more dark energy. At the same time, Prince got weaker and weaker. They all looked alarmed. Michael just thought of an idea that just might work. "Hey guys, lets all focus our energy; it might be able to stop Tsao and save our butts!" Jade and Prince agreed, but Sarah was not so sure. "Will it work?" "Yes it will; it helped us out in the past." Prince said weakly. "My magic may be being drained, but my spirit energy is still there, I feel it." Michael then turned to Sarah. "Close your eyes and feel our energy merge with yours; something tells me it will help a great deal." Still not sure how helpful it can be, she nodded and closed her eyes. She then felt strange yet familiar energy reaching to her and meeting her power. She did not fight it, but embraced it. _'This energy seems so compatible with mine. Why does it feel so…good?'_

Tsao, completely charged up, launched his beam of energy towards the group. "Now you will feel the full dark power of the family Tsao!!" When his beam hit them, however, it did not destroy them like he intended. To his shock, a shield of some kind appeared and reflected the attack right back at him! He was so unprepared for this that he couldn't set up a counter attack in time! Tsao wasn't arrogant anymore. "No! NO!! Impossible!! How could this have happened!?" The dark beam then hit Tsao and he screamed with such agony the likes in which he had never felt before. When the energy vanished, the gang found Tsao on the ground, smoking and writhing in pain, but still alive. Prince then felt all reenergized, like a battery that had been fully charged. "I don't feel weak anymore; my magic seems to have returned! But how?"

Jade answered him. "I think it was the fact that Tsao's attack backfired on him. When his beam hit him, it must have severed his link with you, freeing you from being drained any further. Not only that, but I think it also returned to you the power that was already taken." Prince and the others were very pleased to hear that. "Well, what are waiting for? We freed the others, and we got no reason to stick around here anymore, do you?" They shook there heads. Michael smiled. "Good, it looks like Operation Payback worked well after all. Let's head back." Prince then used his newly replenished magic to teleport the four of them back to the Safe House. Tsao, now barely alive, finally got back up on his feet. He was very disappointed. "I don't know how my attack was repelled, but I swear to make them all pay for humiliating me!" He then looked ahead to see the large case Michael brought earlier.

Tsao then smiled greedily. "What a fool! He may have freed his friends and escaped, but I still have the 11 Zodiac Gems he brought to me. Once I get the map back and force Michael to tell me where the last gem is, I'll finish the work I started!" He started to laugh as he walked slowly to the case. He finally got hold of it and collapsed. Breathing heavily both from excitement and exhaustion, he opened it. Once more, he was very disappointed. There were no Zodiac Gems inside the case, but a little note that said: _"Sorry, but no gems here! You should no better than to trust the son of Sly Cooper and Carmelita Fox. One more thing, by the time you finish this note, the magic that Prince had put on it will send you right back to prison the moment you finish reading this! Consider this payback for taking my friends hostage; I am _no_ fan of losing family members, trust me. Enjoy your time at the Big House!"_

At that instant, Tsao began to glow as he was about to be transported to prison. He felt like he had been humiliated by Sly all over again; he did get what he desired, and he was about to go back to jail! Before he vanished, he threw his head up and yelled in complete anger. "CURSE YOU, MICHAEL COOPER!! CURSE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!! CURSE YOU ALL!!!" He then disappeared and reappeared in his old cell. He wasn't alone though. His cell mate, a huge rhino, was stunned to see him again. "Tsao?! How the hell did you get back in here?!" Before he gave him a chance to answer, the rhino cracked his knuckles. "You know what, it doesn't even matter. 'Cause right now, you owe me money from the bet I just lost. It is time you paid up, rooster boy!" Tsao then whimpered as his cell mate got closer. The next thing that the nearby guards knew, they heard someone screaming in pain as he was getting beat up…

Meanwhile, there was celebration at the Safe House. They had gotten the 11th Zodiac Gem, put Tsao back in the slammer, and freed everyone from his grasp! "And we owe it all to Sarah," said Michael as he pointed his coke at her. She bowed her head. "I am glad I was able to help when I did. Though somehow, I felt I was _supposed_ to help you. I can't explain it." Michael shook his head. "Well I can't explain it either, but at least we did a good job out there!" They all laughed as they each took a coke and drank it. While he was drinking, Michael began to ponder about Sarah. _'She is right; when we met her, I felt something weird too. How can we feel so comfortable around her when we barely know her? And how in the world was she able to help us block Tsao's attack; her energy felt compatible with mine, Jade's and Prince's. It feels like we are connected somehow, but what kind of connection do we…'_

It hit him like he was just hit by a football. Michael slapped himself on the head for not realizing it sooner. He then asked Jade and Prince to talk to him in his bedroom. Curious, they followed him inside while everyone else was having a blast. Once the door was closed, they started talking. "Guys, I just realized something back there, something HUGE!" "What is it, Michael?" Jade asked. Michael smiled wildly as he answered. "I think Sarah is the 4th Chosen One!" Jade and Prince looked surprised. "What makes you say that?" Prince asked. "She kept saying that she _felt_ like she was supposed to help us, and she did! Earlier I felt like I had expected her to arrive to our aid! But the biggest hint of all is that when we focused our energy to form that shield that saved us. Her energy mixed so well with ours that it only makes sense that she already had some connection with us! She is supposed to help us defeat Neyla!"

Still in a state of shock, Jade and Prince sat down on the bed. They looked up at Michael. "Michael, are you absolutely sure she is the 4th Chosen On, the person that represents Air?" Michael nodded. "Yes, and don't forget what the Horse Guardian said: This fourth person will be of great help in the near future. He knew that Sarah would arrive to help us free the others from Tsao!" They sat there in a long, stunned silence. After a while, Prince spoke to Michael. "If she is supposed to help us, then maybe we should tell her the "whole story". We only told her about the Zodiac Gems and how valuable they are, but we did not tell her about the 4 Chosen Ones who alone can retrieve Shangdi's weapon." Michael and Jade agreed. "Then let's go tell her, the sooner she knows the better." Michael said as they walked out of the bedroom to tell their new comrade the whole truth.


	15. Chapter 15 The Gauntlet

Hey I'm back! Despite what trash that Lawd Galvatron said about me and my story, I will continue to write it. This story is for all my reviewers who love my work and respect it. Without further delay, here is chapter 15!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 15- The Gauntlet

Beijing, China: Safe House. Day 7, 10:00 am: Michael, Jade, Prince and the others were waiting for Sarah's decision on joining the team to stop Neyla. When the gang told her everything last night, she was stunned. She couldn't believe that fate wanted her to take part in a mission to save the world from a great evil! Sarah didn't know what to think, except that she said she may need to sleep on it. They all agreed and expected her final decision in the morning. After a hearty breakfast, they waited for Sarah's answer to whether or not she will accompany them on their quest. Michael hoped that she would say yes, so that they could continue to find and stop Neyla and save his parents. At last, Sarah cleared her throat to get everyone's attention and gave her answer.

"After a lot of thinking, I have decided that, despite how much you and your comrades need me, Michael, I cannot join you." Sarah finished with a look of regret. No one believed what they had just heard, especially Michael! He got on his feet and stared at Sarah with anger. "How can _that_ be your decision?! Don't you know what is at stake here?! Just my parents and the whole world!! Why won't you help us Sarah?!" Sarah stared back at Michael with sorrow in her eyes. "I truly am sorry, Michael. I can't join you because I do not want to experience what happened long ago twice." "What happened to you long ago?" Jade asked. Sarah turned to Jade. "Remember me telling you of how I knew General Tsao?" They all nodded. "Yeah, you said that Tsao attacked your village just to prove how powerful he was and practically annihilating everyone in it except you. You were the only one to escape the chaos and hid in the mountains ever since."

Sarah nodded. "Yes, but what I neglected to say before was that I was part of a team of students learning the ways of my people. The students I was with were like family to me. Despite how young we were, we tried to fend of Tsao, but it was a massacre. I watched them all die right before my eyes, and I fled to save myself." Sarah broke down and started to cry in her hands. Michael and the others were shocked about this revelation. After a few minutes, Sarah pulled herself together and whipped her tears off. "My point is that I don't want to lose another team that I am a part of. I just can't risk it happening again. It would be too painful if I lose another group of friends because of evil." Michael didn't know what to say, but Prince seemed to since he came forward and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Listen, Sarah. The loss of your team was not your fault, it was Tsao's. You can't keep blaming yourself for Tsao's sins. Trust me, my friends and I are capable of handling anything. We managed to stop Tsao with your help, which we are grateful for. There is no reason for you to not help us." Sarah didn't seem reassured at all; on the contrary, she seemed even more resolute. She got up, walked away from the group and shook her head. "I'm sorry, my mind is made up. I cannot change it." "Cannot or will not?" Michael asked furiously. Sarah didn't answer; she just turned away from everyone's eyes. Bentley approached her with a kind face. "Listen Sarah, I can understand the pain of losing friends and loved ones, but you need to understand that we need you. Even if Michael, Jade and Prince get the last Zodiac Gem, find the location of Shangdi's weapon and enter its chamber, they cannot open the weapon's compartment without you. Please reconsider. Also, think about this: What would your old teammates say if they were here? Would they want you to runaway again or stand by your new teammates when they need you most?"

Sarah didn't look comfortable about that decision. Michael walked up to her, still looking angry. "Listen, I still don't like you backing off when you have friends who need you. But if you change your mind and join us after all, you may want to know where to find the last gem: _"To end this quest and find the Dragon Zodiac Gem, search within the largest mountain in the Himalayas."_ We were told that the last gem will be the toughest one to find and my gut tells me that we will need your help." Sarah didn't say anything as she walked to the door. She turned back to look at the others with great regret. "I truly am sorry." Sarah then closed the door behind her as she left. The whole apartment fell into an uncomfortable silence. It was broken by Michael, who just slammed his fists on the table in outrage. "After all the help she gave us, she just walks away when there is a higher calling?! I can't believe her! How can she be such a coward?!"

Jade spoke calmly to him. "She is just scared, Michael. Sarah just can't face the possibility of losing more friends because of her." "But it wasn't her fault!" Michael yelled. Jade nodded before continuing. "I know, but she needs to work this out on her own. Maybe she will come around, but only she can decide that." Michael nodded as he turned to face the others. They were just as disappointed as he was. As Michael picked up his father's cane, he said, "Well, Sarah or no Sarah, we still have one more Zodiac Gem to find, so let's go find it." They all agreed as Michael, Jade and Prince stepped into the teleporter once more for the final gem. "This is it; the last gem hunt. Be extremely careful, who knows what you will be up against." Bentley warned. "Okay, I've locked onto the largest Himalayan Mountain. Hopefully, the entrance should be near the foot of it. Good luck." With that, Bentley had sent the trio to the location of the last gem, hoping that they would succeed.

In another flash of blue light, the trio appeared at the foot of one of the largest mountains they had ever seen. Over 1,000 ft high and covered in snow, it was incredible up close. Michael and the others began searching for the entrance to the dragon temple. During their search, Michael still fumed about Sarah's desertion. He had hoped that she would have been with him and his team right now, but her cowardice changed that. While he wondered where she was now, his thoughts were interrupted by Prince's voice. "There it is!" Michael and Jade looked at what the wolf was pointing at. It was a huge stone doorway with a dragon's head on top. It was almost 100 ft high. Michael approached the door and saw that on the door, there was writing. He groaned. "If this is another riddle opening door, I'll kill myself." Thankfully it wasn't. Upon closer inspection, the writing was not a riddle, but a warning.

_"To those who wish to enter, beware. Beyond this doorway lies a challenge more dangerous and more terrifying than anything you have experienced in your lives. If you desire the prize within, you must pass through the Gauntlet of Fire. The gauntlet is filled with traps and dangers that would be fatal to you lest you watch your step. If by some miracle that you survive the gauntlet, you must face the opponent that waits at the end. If you value your lives, turn back now. Otherwise, enter and hope you are prepared. This is your only warning._

_Signed, the Dragon Zodiac Gem Guardian._

The door then opened for the trio, who looked very scared. Despite his fears and because of his anger towards Sarah, he marched in without hesitation; he wanted to prove that he was not a coward like she was. Jade and Prince followed him inside. When all three were in the cave, the massive door closed behind them. At first there was no light; it was completely dark, though extremely warm. Then suddenly, several red flames appeared in the ceiling, and they formed a line heading deeper inside the mountain. Each red flame was as big as a small boulder and gave the tunnel a bloody hue. Michael, Jade and Prince began to walk further down the tunnel, completely alert for any obstacles that might appear. "Of all the places we've been to, this place is definitely the most ominous one yet." Prince whispered a few minutes later. Michael and Jade agreed with him. "I hate to think what this gauntlet is going to throw at us first." Jade said apprehensively.

Just as Jade finished her sentence, they heard screeches and roars like they have never heard before. The trio stood back to back, looking everywhere for what was about to come out. Then they appeared. Several fire-like creatures appeared out of the red hued flames above them and dropped to the floor on their feet. Some looked like jackals, a few others resembled bats. They were all about 6 ft tall and looked positively frightening. The creatures surrounded the trio, wondering how to fight these things. "Any ideas?" Michael asked. Prince came up with an idea. "I'll use my magic to create some swords and shields for us. I'll make them fire proof." His eyes glowed golden and then two swords and shields appeared in Michael and Jade's hands and wrists. There weapons looked impressive. "Thanks Prince, these should do the trick." Michael said as he smirked. The creatures then leaped at them, but they managed to jump over them just in time and landed in opposite sides.

The creatures then split up to overtake their prey. Michael was up against two flaming jackals and a bat, while Jade and Prince were fight two jackals and three bats each. With both his cane and his sword, Michael slashed at his fiery foes. One of the jackals tried to put a big bite in him, but Michael slashed it with his sword, causing it to explode. He then jumped over the bat, which just dive bombed him, and whacked it with his cane. It fell to the ground and burst into flames that vanished instantly. The remaining jackal tried to attack from behind, but Michael expected it and blocked it with his shield. After pushing it away, he hit it with both his cane and sword, and the creature disappeared in flames. "Humph, that wasn't so hard," he said cockily. However, the creatures he had just vanquished have just returned, and there were twice as many as before! Michael sighed. "Oh man, you got to be kidding me!!"

He looked around at Jade and Prince; they were having the same problem he was. Jade just slashed her creatures with her sword in quick succession, only to be reborn in greater numbers. Prince, despite his strong crystal sword and his powerful magic, could not dispose of them any better than his friends. Even though he tried a spell that shoots water from his hands at flaming beasts, they just keep reviving themselves and multiplied! Soon the three backed into a wall with their shields raised. Their hopelessness increased as the overwhelming monsters approached them. "Damn, no matter what we do, these guys just keep coming back for more, and with more friends!" Michael yelled. "It looks like we are not going to make it out of this one." Jade said despairingly. Prince also looked grim. "If this is the end for us, it was a great honor fighting by your sides. I am proud to call you my friends." Michael and Jade smiled at him. "We are also proud to call you our friend too." Michael replied. "Yeah, I'm glad we met." Jade also replied. They looked back at the creatures that were approaching rapidly with grim looks on their faces.

Just as the creatures were about to attack, someone whacked them all with quick precision and blinding speed. The trio was stunned to see who their rescuer was. Michael was the first to speak. "Sarah? Is that you?" It was indeed the eagle nomad Sarah, who wielded her staff and looked much more confident than they have ever seen her. "Of course it is me, who else were you expecting?" They were both surprised and happy to see her. "How did you get here?" Prince asked. Sarah continued to smile. "Right after I closed the door at your apartment, I overheard Michael talking about what a coward I was and Jade trying to defend me. After you three have left to find the Dragon Zodiac Gem, I thought about what you all and Bentley said. You were all right; I was running away from my fears when I should be helping my friends. I realized that my friends from my village would have wanted me to help you finish the journey you have started because it was the right thing to do. So I came back in and told Bentley, Murray, and Panda King that I want to go join up with my new friends to save Michael's parents and the world.

"Bentley teleported me right outside the mountain where the entrance to inside. I heard loud noises and screams in there, and as soon as I arrived at the door, it instant opened up; it was as if it was expecting me. I ran down the tunnel until I saw you being surrounded by those fire monsters. You saw what happened next." Michael had finally let go of his anger towards her and forgave her. "Well then, welcome to the team Sarah. Thanks for saving our butts, again." Sarah bowed her head. Just then, more flaming creatures appeared behind them. There were enough of them now to form a small army! Sarah couldn't believe what she just saw! "Oh yeah, did I mention that these things can resurrect themselves and multiply?" Michael asked casually. "You may have neglected to tell me that earlier." Sarah answered almost jokingly. The gang decided there was only thing left to do: "RUN!!" Michael yelled as they fled down the tunnel with their fiery foes in pursuit. They were running as fast as they could, but the creatures were slowly gaining on them.

"Okay, we can't destroy them and we can't out run them. What are we going to do?" Jade asked as they kept moving. Michael was trying to think, but nothing was coming to mind. _'I saw it with my own eyes, even water can't stop them. How are we supposed to beat monsters made out of fire?'_ He looked up at the red flames that guided their path. Michael saw the answer; he couldn't believe it didn't occur to him before. "That's their source." Michael said to himself. The others looked at him, confused. "What did you say Michael?" Sarah asked. Michael turned to her. "Those things came out of the flames above us! That's where their power is coming from!" Jade understood now. "I get it! If we can extinguish the flames, the creatures will vanish permanently!" "Yes, but these flames are the only sources of light in here. Without them, we won't be able to see where we are going!" Sarah yelled back.

They were beginning to tire out and the creatures were almost upon them! Prince was thinking of a way to deal with both problems, and he just thought of one. "I know what to do!" "Yeah, and what would that be? Abra Kadabra?" Michael asked in frustration. Prince had concentrated his magic on the flames above them. He raised his hands towards them as his glowed golden. Just as the creatures were about to catch them, the red flames vanished, and the creatures with them. Though there was darkness once again, it was quiet. When they could no longer hear the creature's noises or see their fiery forms, the group collapsed, completely out of breath. "Looks like you were right Michael. It seems we are safe…for now." Prince said in a tired voice. He then used his magic again to create light coming from their weapons. "Brilliant, Prince. Now we can see." Michael said in gratitude. After about 10 minutes, the group got back up and continued down the dark tunnel.

They walked cautiously for another half hour when they came across a stone bridge. It was stretching across a large, bottomless chasm. The bridge was 50 ft long and looked stable enough to cross. They saw a worn out doorway on the other side. "C'mon, let's cross this thing." Michael said. Before he took his first step on the bridge, Sarah grabbed his arm and held him back. "Wait! Don't cross it!" Everyone faced her in concern. "Why not? It looks safe enough." Jade said. Sarah shook her head. "Take a closer look at the bridge." She pointed on the stone steps. With close inspection, they saw a trigger on the first step. Sarah then picked up a heavy rock and dropped it on the trigger before backing off. A huge stone pillar fell down from the ceiling and crashed at the spot where Michael had been if Sarah hadn't pulled him back at the last second! Jade and Prince were stunned. Michael's jaw dropped as he turned to Sarah. "Thanks a bunch! I almost got flattened like a pancake!"

"You're welcome Michael. This bridge is booby trapped, so everyone watch your steps. There could more of those trigger steps on the bridge." They nodded in agreement. They walked around the pillar and began to cross the bridge carefully. They took each step with the utmost care. Prince almost slipped and nearly stepped on a trigger, but Michael managed to catch him in time. "Thank you Michael." "No problem, man." They continued until they all have made it to the other side. They relaxed now that they have crossed a booby trapped bridge. "Looks like we got through this one without even a scratch." Michael said as he put his hand on the wall next to the doorway. He suddenly felt he pushed something, and he felt the ground tremble. To his horror, he discovered that the wall he put his hand on was another trap trigger. He felt incredibly embarrassed as he faced his friends. They looked incredulously at him. "Uh…sorry?"

The whole cavern started to cave in on them! The ceiling was falling apart and rocks were falling all over the place! Quickly the team ran through the doorway before the tunnel collapsed completely. Once more they got out their illuminating weapons and looked around. They were in a smaller cave, but the door on the other end looked much more impressive than the previous one; it looked like a stone dragon statue with a red door in its chest. They were all staring at Michael. He tried to defense himself. "Look, it was an accident! I totally didn't see that trigger on that wall!" Jade put her hands on his face. "I know it was an accident, it could have happened to anyone. Just be more careful next time, okay?" Michael smiled as he nodded. Prince and Sarah smiled too. After that, they walked up to the dragon door and examined it. After analyzing it, Prince gave his explanation.

"The door seems to have three enormous golden handles. Each has a different type of dragon engraving on it, and I have a feeling that only one can open that door." Michael followed him. "In other words, we choose the wrong one, and we are dead." They all studied the dragon symbols, trying to figure out which on it is. One dragon was blue, another was red, and the third was black. How were they going to choose the right one without as much as a hint about which one to choose? "Well, we got plenty of time. It's not like we got a time limit, right?" Michael asked. At that instant, the wall behind them began to slowly move towards them! They all looked at Michael again. He held up his hands defensively. "Hey, don't look at me! I didn't do anything this time!" The gang knew that they would have to choose the right handle and fast! "I say we have at least a few minutes before the wall crushes us, so I suggest we hurry!" They couldn't agree more as they tried to choose btw handles.

"Oh man, this time I wish there was a riddle; at least it would give us an idea of how to figure this out." Michael said stressfully. 2 minutes later the gang still hasn't figured it out. Michael was looking at the differently colored dragons with frustration. _'Man, I wish these dragons can talk to us and help us choose. Hell, it doesn't help that those dragons are different in color…or does it?'_ An idea came to Michael. "Hey guys, I think I know which handle to pull." They all stared at him. "How do you know Michael?" Jade asked. Her boyfriend pointed at the dragon engravings. "The dragons are not what we should be focusing on; it's their colors!" Sarah was stumped. "How do the colors help us?" Jade then snapped her fingers. "Of course! Each of the Zodiac Gems had a different color when we claimed them. Two of the colors here are on two gems that we have claimed already; blue and black. The Horse Gem was blue and the Rat Gem was black." Prince finally caught on. "I see, then the correct handle must have the dragon engraving with a color we have not seen on a Zodiac Gem yet."

Michael nodded to his friends. "Exactly what I was thinking, so of all the colors on each of the gems we found, which color was not present?" They all turned their heads towards the middle handle. "The red one!" they said in unison. All four grabbed the handle with the red dragon engraving on it and pulled with all their might! With effort, the door swung open. Grateful that they made the right choice, they jumped through before the wall could crush them to paste! When they looked around, there were in an enormous cave with dozens of torches lighting the place. This time, there was not another doorway for them to go through. "If there is no door, then that means that we have made it through the gauntlet, right?" Michael asked. "You are right, Michael Cooper!" They heard a loud voice in the cave, and when they turned around, they almost went pale! A gigantic red dragon stood before them. He was over 50 ft tall, had razor sharp teeth and claws, wore golden armor, and had a long spiky tail. He spoke to them again in his powerful voice. "I am the Guardian of the Dragon Zodiac Gem! Congratulations on making it through the Gauntlet of Fire. Now, to claim the Dragon Zodiac Gem, and finally obtain Shangdi's powerful weapon, you must face your final opponent…me!"


	16. Chapter 16 Enter the Dragon

Alright, time for the battle for the last Zodiac Gem to begin! Enjoy!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 16- Enter the Dragon

Michael and the gang were shocked. "Wait; you want us…to fight _you_?!" Michael asked breathlessly. The gargantuan guardian nodded. "Yes, you must defeat me in battle to claim my gem. Do whatever you can to fight me and win. You will win when you have left me unable to battle anymore. Are you ready?" Michael turned to his friends; they looked just as scared as he was, but they knew that this was the only way to get the last gem. "Look guys, I know that he is the biggest and probably the most powerful gem guardian we have ever faced, but if we work together I know we can beat him. You with me?" Jade, Prince and Sarah looked at each other, and then back to Michael; they nodded as they held up their weapons. Pleased, Michael held up his weapons as well as he and the others stared at the huge dragon with resolve. "Yes, Dragon Guardian, we are ready for you." Michael said. The dragon nodded. "Very well…let the battle begin!"

The dragon started the fight with a giant breath of fire towards Michael's team! They managed to dodge just in time in different directions, and when they looked back, they saw that the spot where the fire had struck had become a small crater! "Man, this guy is no joke; one wrong step and we're deep fried!" Michael said to the others. "No kidding, we need to be more careful." Jade replied. "How are we going to beat something that large?" Sarah asked. "How the hell should I know?" Michael asked back. "He's attacking again!" Prince said as he pointed upwards. The dragon was about to slam one of his enormous fists to where Michael and Jade were. They jumped back not a moment too soon as the dragon's fist caused the cave to shake a little. The guardian decided to slam his other fist at Prince and Sarah, who just vanished before the fist could crush them! Prince had teleported himself and Sarah back with Michael and Jade.

The dragon faced them with disappointment. "You can't keep running away! Eventually you will have to attack, for there is no other way to beat me!" He finished his speech with another stream of fire at the gang. Prince used his magic to put up a strong barrier around his friends, but it took its toll on the wolf, for he fell on one knee and breathed heavily. "I can't block another attack like that; his fire breath is too powerful." Michael didn't like the sound of that. As they helped Prince back on his feet, the guardian looked amused. "Not bad Prince Sly, but I doubt you can stop my attack a second time with your magic." Michael looked from his friends, who were looking desperate, and then back at the dragon. He was right; they won't win by running and dodging. They had to go on the offensive.

Michael turned back to his team. "Look guys, we have to attack him head on! There is just no other way!" They looked back at Michael and nodded reluctantly. "You're right Michael; we need to bring him down. Do you have a plan?" Jade asked. Prince and Sarah were also waiting for Michael's response. He had his answer ready after a few moments of thinking. "Okay, here's the plan. We split up and attack him on all sides. Jade will attack from the left, and Sarah will be at the right. Prince will attack from the rear, while I face him in the front. Try to attack places where he might be vulnerable; like maybe under his arm pits or right beneath his tail. Got it?" His friends looked uncertain if this plan will work, but they were willing to try anything. They told Michael they would follow the plan. Pleased, Michael gave the signal. "Alright everyone…LET'S GET HIM!" They split up and surrounded the dragon, ready for their assaults.

The guardian waited patiently for their strikes, and then all at once they made their moves! Behind the dragon, Prince ran for the underside of the tail, but it kept slashing back and forth, preventing Prince from getting near it. Not wanting to risk anymore magic at the moment, he waited for the right moment to attack; his moment came when the tail swished to the right to try to whack Sarah. He moved in and slashed his sword at the base of the tail, but instead of cutting it, the blade bounced off the tail base. Prince was so shocked it didn't work that he did not see the tail return and flicked him off like a bug! He hit the ground hard and yelped in pain. Jade was having no better luck then Prince did. When the dragon tried to smash her with his fist again, Jade jumped on his arm and ran up to the shoulder. There, she grabbed one of the dragon's scales and slashed at his arm pit. However, it caused no damage whatsoever, just like the tail. The dragon turned his head towards her and blew her off, and she fell to the ground very painfully.

Sarah did the same thing Jade did, and nothing changed. When her strike failed to damage him as well, the dragon lifted his other hand at Sarah and flicked her off and right back on the ground with a thud! Michael tried to go for the legs and tried to cut them with his sword and whack them with his cane, but like his friends, he was nowhere near hurting the mythical lizard. The dragon looked down at Michael and kicked him lightly with his left foot; and it was painful considering his sharp toe nails! As the gang regrouped, Michael was panicking. He couldn't believe that his plan wasn't working; no matter what they've tried, the guardian simply could not be damaged! _'Terrific, things are just not going our way! This guy is way too strong and invulnerable to our weapons! How can we possibly beat him?!'_

Michael and his friends were staring at the dragon in horror; they could not see how they were going to win this one. The dragon glared at them smugly. "Nice try, but my skin is too thick for your tooth picks to hurt me with. Try something that _might_ be considered more effective, for so far I am not impressed by your performances!" Michael and the others got back up slowly got back on their feet, becoming more afraid than ever. "Michael, it doesn't look like we can win." Sarah said. Michael shook his head. "No, no there just _has_ to be a way; there's got to be!" "If you have another plan, make sure it does not involve us getting flattened by the dragon!" Prince said frustratingly. Michael was trying to think hard. He wished he knew a way for him and his team to bring the guardian down.

He was thinking that if they all had powerful magic, like Prince, then maybe they would have a chance, but he knows that don't. _'Or do we?'_ Michael thought back to when they faced Tsao; by focusing and combining their spiritual energies, they were able to reflect his own powerful attack right back him, nearly killing him. Michael started to smile; if they did it once, could they do it again? He turned to his teammates. "Hey guys, I think I've found a way to beat dragon breath here, but we need to really work together on this." "What's your plan Michael?" Jade asked hopefully. "Remember when we used our spirit energy to turn Tsao's own attack against him?" They nodded. Michael went on. "Well, I was thinking…if we focus our energies like before and concentrate it into a powerful attack, we might be able to beat the guardian."

The gang thought about and slowly realized that it might their last hope at defeating the dragon. All three agreed. "Great, now let's do it!" They held hands, closed their eyes, and concentrated on bringing their spirit energies together for a strong assault. The dragon began to grow impatient. "That's it! If you will not attack, then I'll just end this now!" He launched one more jet of fire at the gang, intending to incinerate them. A few seconds before the flames could him them, however, a bright beam of light shot out from Michael's team and met the dragon's fire head on…and it was being held at bay! The dragon was stunned by this new attack! Despite this new assault, the dragon kept the heat on as he added more power to his fire. The light beam increased its power to match the dragon's attack, still holding it off.

Both attacks continue to push each other. The mere force of them was starting to cause the cavern to shake violently; and outside the snow was falling off the tip of the mountain from all the power that was being unleashed within. This continued for another minute or two, at which time the dragon's fire was starting to be pushed back by the beam of light. Desperate, the guardian released all his power into his attack, hoping it would at last end the battle with him as the winner. Unfortunately, the beam was still advancing towards him despite the extra power. The light beam continued to push the fire further and further towards its source. The guardian was finally beginning to tire out as his fire slowly became weaker. Michael and his friends knew the dragon was on his last legs, so they decided to give it everything they got! "This is it; let's finish him!" They unleashed the full power of their attack on the dragon. It completely extinguished the fire and the guardian took the full brunt of the assault. "AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

The dragon became enveloped in the beam and the whole mountain range shook from the force of the impact! There were tremors on the ground as nearby villagers panicked that they were experiencing an earthquake. Back inside the cavern, there was smoke and dusk all over the place. Michael and his team were coughing a lot because of the smoke. "Whoa, now _that_ was what I called an attack! Are you guys okay?" "I'm exhausted and bruised, but I'm fine." Jade said. "I am fine also." Prince said. "I will live." Sarah replied. Glad that they survived, Michael looked around to see if their attack had done the job. It was difficult to see anything with all the dust around. It took a few minutes, but the cavern eventually cleared up. To their surprise, and incredible relief, they saw that the dragon guardian was flat on his back; he looked like the wind had been knocked out of him.

Slowly, the guardian lifted his head back up and set his eyes on Michael and his team. They were shocked that he was still conscious! "No way! That's impossible!" Michael shouted. The rest of his companions were just as stunned as he was! They knew that if the guardian was going to continue to fight, they would be finished; for they have used up all their energy to fight him with. However, the dragon smiled at them. "That was an incredible attack you've used! You 4 have truly put your teamwork to good use. By focusing your spirit energies into your attack, you were able to overpower me and brought me down! Congratulations to all of you for your unbelievable power and friendship! For defeating me, I give you your prize!"

He reached for the top of the doorway from which Michael and his friends had entered. The dragon opened a huge vault, took out something small, and dropped it into Michael's hands; the red dragon gem! "There you have it; the Dragon Zodiac Gem is yours now! You all have earned it well, just like you have earned all the others. Once you unite this gem with the others in the proper order of the Chinese Zodiac and place Slytankhamen's map in the center, you will finally know the location of Shangdi's weapon." Michael and the others bowed to the guardian and thanked him. "Don't worry, we won't let Neyla win! Once we have the weapon, there's no way she can beat us!" Michael said enthusiastically. The dragon shook his head. "Don't get too confident, Michael Cooper, for merely claiming the weapon will not be enough." The gang stared back at the guardian. "What are you talking about? When we have it, we can stop Neyla and free my parents, right?"

Again the mighty dragon shook his head. "You will know when you have found the weapon." He then lifted his left hand and pointed at the team. Michael and the others were glowing. "I will send you back to your hiding place so you can unite the gems. Good luck to all of you!" Michael didn't want to leave yet. "Hey, wait a second! Is there something about the weapon we should know?" But by the time he asked that question, he and the rest of the team were back at the Safe House. Bentley, Murray, and Panda King were both stunned and glad that they have returned. "Michael! Guys! What happened? How did you get back here?" Bentley asked in shock. Michael merely showed him and the other adults the red Dragon Zodiac Gem. They cheered at them. "Alright! You guys did it! You found all 12 Zodiac Gems! Totally awesome!!" Murray yelled joyfully.

"I am very pleased and proud of all of you for accomplishing this quest." Panda King said. Jade, Prince and Sarah were glad that the last gem was theirs, but Michael looked troubled. "What's wrong Michael?" Bentley asked. Jade answered for her boyfriend. "The Dragon Guardian said that there was something about Shangdi's weapon that we don't know about." "Yeah, from what dragon face said, it seemed important." Michael said in annoyance. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's put the gems together to know where to find the weapon." Prince said. They agreed as Michael went to the vault under his bed and brought it out into the living room. They cleared the table so that they could place all the gems together. One by one, they placed the gems in a circle around the map in accordance with the proper order of the Chinese Zodiac in clockwise, starting from the top: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.

Once the circle was complete, the gems began to glow so brightly that the whole room was blinded by light. Everyone covered their eyes for a few minutes. When the light was gone, Michael saw that the map had highlighted a new area in China with a message written on it. Everyone was waiting for Michael's analysis of the message. Michael then spoke softly. "Guys, this is it: The location of Shangdi's weapon. It says: _"Descendent of Slytankhamen I, you have made it through all the challenges that the Zodiac Gem Guardians have set before you and earned their gems. As a reward, here is where to find Shangdi's weapon. To find the weapon's hidden chamber, you must journey towards the foot of the Seven Star Mountain and search within the tunnel nearby. This will lead you to the weapon's hidden chamber. Good luck in your quest, descendent of Slytankhamen I."_

They all gaped by this revelation. "Where the heck is this _Seven Star Mountain_?" Michael asked Bentley. As usual, he had the answer. "It's an extinct volcano in Taiwan, and is the highest peak in the Yangmingshan National Park." Michael got excited now. "Sweet, as soon as we are all rested up, we'll go find this mountain and the weapon." Everyone agreed as they got themselves a very much deserved meal from their last ordeal.

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Secret location on the planet: Neyla was examining the Immortal Crown with greed in her eyes, knowing that the all the power stored within it will soon be hers forever. She was in her private room without a care in the world, absolutely convinced that there were no threats to her whatsoever. After much practicing in her training room a few days ago, she finally mastered all three of the captured god's powers. She smiled insanely. "I can hardly believe that all of the greatest powers in the world are in my hands right now, and that I will soon be rid of my two most despised enemies. It feels like a dream come!" She was now laughing evilly; a laughter that can practically be heard throughout the whole place. Suddenly, she heard someone knocking on her door and stopped laughing.

"Enter." The door opened to reveal a cyborg baboon, whose entire body was machine with a few areas of flesh on his face. He seemed very annoyed. "Neyla, how am I supposed to get the machine ready when I have to endure your insane laughter all day? I can't focus on it!" Neyla shrugged while continuing to smile. "Relax, Dr. M, I was just thinking of how sweet it shall be with Sly Cooper and Carmelita Fox out of the picture once and for all." Dr. M snorted. "I couldn't agree with you more; they both have caused us great pain and suffering…but that is still no excuse for distracting me!" Neyla then put the crown on her head, got up from her chair, and walked right in front of the mechanical primate. She glared at him.

"If my laughing distracts you so much, why not just make your whole lab sound proof; a genius like you could do that." Neyla said seductively. Dr. M snorted again. "I might do just that. By the way, how are our favorite prisoners today?" he asked casually. The tigress smiled again. "Oh, they are just as miserable as ever, Dr. M. They cannot possibly escape from a cell with no door, now can they?" The doctor shook his head. "No, they most certainly won't. But tell me, are you absolutely sure that no one knows what is taking place here?" Neyla chuckled. "What is so funny, Neyla?!" Dr. M demanded. "Oh, its nothing. I just find it funny of how paranoid you are. And no, no one knows about us or this place besides us. Trust me doctor, we have nothing to worry about."

Dr. M. seemed to agree…at least a little bit. "Fine, in that case I'll be on my way back to my lab…to make it sound proof!" He slammed the door behind her. Neyla chuckled again by her minion's behavior. "He is quite amusing when he gets annoyed." She took off the crown and gazed into it again. "In just one week, the ritual will begin…and the world shall belong to me!" She began to laugh more insanely than ever.


	17. Chapter 17 The Weapon

Hi. Ladies and gentlemen, it is time for Shangdi's mysterious weapon to finally show itself! Hope you enjoy this.

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 17- The Weapon

Seven Star Mountain, Taiwan. Day 7, 1:00 pm: Michael and the team had finally arrived at the Seven Star Mountain; the hiding place for Shangdi's powerful weapon. It was enormous; a lot bigger than the Himalayan Mountains. They made sure to take the gems with them to unlock the door to the chamber. As the 4 search the foot of the mountain for the secret tunnel, Jade noticed that Michael looked anxious. "Hey handsome, what's eating you this time?" Michael smiled a little as he looked at her. "Oh, it's nothing, it's just that we have been after this weapon from the start and now we are so close to finding it. I don't know, maybe I'm just a little scared of what we'll find in there." Jade smiled back. "Whatever this weapon is, I know that you will be able to handle it. You are Slytankhamen I's descendent after all." Michael felt warm inside from hearing those words. "I love you." Michael said appreciatively. "I love you, too." Jade replied as they kissed briefly.

After they parted, they continued to search with Prince and Sarah. They searched for an hour but found no tunnel. Michael and the others sat down to rest for a bit. "Where is this tunnel?" Prince said frustratingly. "It is here, Prince, we still have much of the mountain's area to cover. We will find it." Sarah answered calmly. "Yeah, the map said it was here, so it has to be close." Michael replied. Just when they got back up to continue, Michael heard a faint voice: _"Follow me, and you will find what you seek…"_ Michael looked around for the source of the voice, and then he turned back to his friends. "Did you guys hear that?" The group looked confused. "Hear what?" Sarah asked. "That faint voice I just heard." Jade looked worried. "Michael, we didn't hear any faint voices." Michael once more heard voice, telling him to follow it.

"Everyone, I think this voice I'm hearing is trying to me where to find the hidden tunnel. I'm the only one the can read the map, remember? Isn't also possible that the voice can only be heard by me as well?" They stared at each other, and then back to Michael. "If you're right, then you must follow that voice, and we'll be right behind you." Jade said. Prince and Sarah, though still confused, agreed. Grateful, Michael began to follow the voice's source with his friends right behind him. Michael continued to follow the voice for another few minutes. When he turned the next corner, the voice had changed its message: _"You have arrived."_ Michael and the others stopped to behold a huge door with all the symbols of the Chinese Zodiac gems on it. "This must be it!" Michael shouted as he and the others approached the door.

When they were right in front of it, the door swung open to reveal a long, dark tunnel. "There is no doubt about it; this is the secret tunnel we we're searching for." Prince said in wonder. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go." Michael and the group then walked into the tunnel. There were rows of small torches lighting the way through the passageway. It seemed to stretch to no end as they moved further in. Michael shivered a bit, and it had nothing to do with the temperature in the tunnel. He still felt nervous about finally obtaining Shangdi's weapon. _'What could it be? What would it look like? Can I handle its power? Oh man, this is so tense!' _ They continued walking through the tunnel with growing anxiousness about what awaits at the end. After what seemed like hours, they have arrived to another door.

It resembled the previous one, except at where the Chinese Zodiac symbols would be, there were empty places shaped like each of the gems. "I think this must be where we are supposed to place the Zodiac Gems in order open the door." Sarah said. "Couldn't agree with you more, Sarah. We'll each place 3 gems in the empty slots and hope this works." Michael replied as he put down the bag of gems he was carrying. He put in the Rat, Ox, and Tiger gems in first. Jade then placed in the Rabbit, Dragon, and Snake gems next. Prince followed with the Horse, Sheep, and Monkey gems. Sarah finished the job with the Rooster, Dog, and Pig gems. At once the tunnel began to shake up a little bit. They were worried that they set off some booby trap. But then they saw that the door was sliding up towards the ceiling. When the door was gone, they saw the most amazing sight they have ever seen.

Michael, Jade, Prince, and Sarah saw, before their eyes, a huge golden room. It was lit be 4 torches and looked like it hadn't been entered in centuries; there were lots of cobwebs and dust everywhere. In the very center of the room stood a silver box as big as a coffin, and it had a faint glow. The group headed in the room and circled the box. "This is it; the weapon must be inside this box." Jade said. "Yeah, and only the 4 of us can open it." Michael replied. He then noticed the writing on the box. "Hey, here's some writing here. It says: _"Here lies the body of Slytankhamen I. He was a great hero who saved the world from evil. His spirit was like a great Fire that could not be extinguished. He had a body like the Earth as he stood his ground without ever flinching. His strength flowed through him like the Water flowed in a river, and his heart was as pure as the Air we breathe. To any descendent of this great warrior who reads this inscription, it is time for the passing of the weapon he wielded when he defeated the God of Mischief, Loki. Take it and save the world from evil, just as he did."_

Michael paused after reading that inscription. He felt both proud and honored to be the living relative of such a great hero. The rest of the team smiled along with Michael, who also felt sad towards his ancestor. He felt sad because the rest of his family line had been cursed by Loki, the evil the Slytankhamen had defeated so long ago. Michael felt like that Loki got the last laugh with this curse, and he hated him for it. _'Man, this is just…overwhelming. Slytankhamen didn't deserve what Loki did to his future family. I wish there was a way to remove the curse so that I won't end up like my other ancestors did…'_ Michael continued to stare into space until he heard Jade's voice. "Michael, hey Michael! Are you okay?" Snapping out of his depression, he looked at Jade with an embarrassing smile. "Yeah, yeah sorry about zoning out like that. What's say we open this thing up, huh?"

They all nodded as they placed their hands under the edges of the box. "On the count of three, lift it up. Ready? One…two…THREE!" The group lifted the lid off the box and was temporarily blinded by a bright light within it. It seemed to last several minutes, but it was only about 30 seconds. When the light had disappeared, the gang looked into the box to find the old mummified body of Michael's ancestor. "Man, he sure wanted to be buried in style!" Michael said as he stared at the body. It was covered in jewelry and silver. After close inspection, the gang saw nothing in the coffin that resembled a weapon. Michael was lost now. "I don't understand…there should be some kind of weapon in here. What are we overlooking?" The gang started to feel depressed; they had come all this way for nothing…or so they thought.

At that moment, a small light came out of where Slytankhamen's heart was. It rose above their heads and stopped at the room's ceiling. It then grew to the size of a large beach ball, and can easily be mistaken for a disco ball. "What is happening?" Prince asked. "I have no idea!" Michael answered. The light then shot 4 beams, each hitting a member of the group in the chest! The beams had different colors: The one that hit Michael was red, Jade's was blue, Prince's was yellow, and Sarah's was white. They were frozen as the beams continued to hit them; none of them could move or make a sound! This happened for about 10 seconds, and then the ball of light exploded, throwing the gang against the walls of the room hard. The ball of light had then vanished, along with the colored beams it fired. Slowly, they got back up and felt very dizzy.

"Damn, what the hell just happened?" Michael asked as he helped Jade on her feet. She rubbed the back of her head. "I felt like I got hit by a sledge hammer." Jade said as she leaned against the wall. "Whatever that was, it seemed to do no harm to us." Prince said as he walked towards them while holding his chest in pain. "I, for one, am thankful that none of us were killed by whatever that thing was." Sarah said gratefully. They slowly made their way back towards Slytankhamen's body. It was the same as it was before the light came out, and still no visible weapon. Michael then walked away from the coffin and slammed his fist on the wall, screaming loudly. "We came so close! We found all the gems, got into the hidden chamber, and opened up my ancestor's coffin. What did we find? Some light that zapped all of us and bashed us into the walls, most likely some kind of defense mechanism! And to top it all off…NO WEAPON!!"

The others felt sad towards Michael. Jade walked over and put her hands on his shoulders. "Don't give up, Michael. Remember, the Horse Guardian said that only the 4 Chosen Ones can open the box with the weapon inside, and that's what we did. We did nothing wrong." Michael turned around to face her. "Then how come there's no weapon inside that thing?" Nobody answered, for they did not know anymore than he did. Suddenly, they heard a laughing voice in the room. They all looked around, but saw no one. "Who's there?" Sarah asked. The voice answered, and it sounded friendly. "Don't be afraid, Chosen Ones; you have made no mistakes in your quest. You have done everything you were meant too." "Then why was Shangdi's weapon not where it was supposed to be?" Michael shouted at the voice as he looked around.

"It _was_ in the coffin; you and your friends have already claimed it." Michael and the gang were staring at each other, completely lost. "What are you talking about? We didn't claim anything! All that happened was that me and my friends got hit by those beams of light…" Michael stopped, and stood stock still. He was in shock. _'Could that ball of light and those beams have been…?'_ "You are thinking correctly, Michael Cooper." The voice spoke again, and it seemed to know what Michael was thinking. "That ball of light was indeed the mystical weapon Shangdi bestowed on Slytankhamen I when he fought against Loki. The four beams were merely the method of transferring the weapon onto you all. In other words, an equal portion of the weapon's power has been divided into each of you." Michael's team stood there in complete shock. They couldn't believe that Shangdi's weapon was inside _all_ of them!

Prince spoke next. "Please tell us; what kind of weapon is it? Can we control it?" The voice paused before answering the wolf prince. "It is perhaps the most powerful weapon Shangdi can bestow upon a mortal: The Elemental Orb. It is a ball containing the energies that nature needs to thrive on. It has the power of all 4 elements of nature: Air, Water, Earth, and Fire. The mortal who possess this orb has the power to use these elements in anyway they wished, as long as that mortal has full control over it and is pure of heart. The power within this orb is so great, and terrible, that it was never used before…until the day Loki tried to steal the power of 3 of the most powerful gods in existence. Shangdi, wise as he is, decided that he shall give the orb to the world's only hope: Slytankhamen I. Once Loki was defeated, Slytankhamen decided to be buried here, along with the orb.

"This was because he was warned by Shangdi that another great evil will try to take the world for its own, and only the Elemental Orb can stop it. So he and Shangdi laid out a plan: They created the Zodiac Gems and the hidden chamber for Slytankhamen's burial. Shangdi then assigned a guardian to each of the Zodiac Gems at each of their hidden locations. Only the Chosen Ones would be able to find them and pass their challenges, which has already come to pass. Slytankhamen, meanwhile, drew the map that would lead his descendent and his other Chosen comrades to each of the gem locations in China. He hid the map where some archeologists would find it someday, hoping that his descendent would find the map and use it. He designed the map so that only someone with his blood could read it, for it was written with his blood.

"His final step was to be buried with the Elemental Orb in the Seven Star Mountain,where he was to rest in peace and transfer the orb to the ones who could open his coffin; it was designed to be opened only by the Chosen Ones…you." When the voice had finished, the gang stood there with their mouths open. "With the right training, you certainly will be able to control the power you all now possess." "So, what you are saying is that…we each have power over a different element?" Sarah asked. "Precisely. You each have power over certain elements. Sarah, you have the orb's power over Air. Prince, your orb power is Earth. Jade, Water is your power. And Michael, you have power over Fire. Separately, your newfound abilities are great. But when combined together, your power will be unmatched by any enemy." Michael and the others were still in awe over the kind of weapon they have.

"Hey, thanks for telling us all this, but you still haven't told us who you are. And what did you mean by "the right training"?" The voice laughed heartily again. "I'll do better than tell you…I'll show you." At that instant, the whole gang glowed white and disappeared from the hidden room completely. Back at the Safe House, the same thing happened: Bentley, Murray, and Panda King vanished in the same light that took Michael's group, along with all their supplies and equipment…

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Secret location on the planet: Sly and Carmelita were still sitting in their inescapable cell, lost in thought. She turned to look at her handsome husband. "Hey Ringtail, how much time do you think has passed in here?" Sly shrugged. "Who knows? It feels too long for my taste." "You and me both." They both sat there, staring at the blank stone walls that surrounded them. Suddenly she started crying into Sly's shoulder. Sly was startled. "Hey honey, what's wrong?" He asked calmly. Carmelita lifted her head slightly and sniffed. "What's wrong? Everything! Our son is gone and Neyla is about to put us through who knows what! I feel like everything has turned upside down the moment we were captured, and it's just not getting any better! Oh Sly, I want Michael back! I want to hold him in my arms again and never let go!" She said as started crying again on Sly's shoulder, hugging him tightly.

Sly held her tightly in return, trying to comfort her. He knew how emotional his wife can be when she isn't working and when something is very wrong. "I know, Carmelita, I know…I want him back too." They continued to hold each other for a long time. While he was still holding and comforting his wife, Sly stared out in space, thinking only one thing. _'Michael, if you're still out there, please…stay alive…and be safe. I hope you are okay where you are. Whatever happens to your mother and I, know that we will always love you…with all our hearts.'_ After that thought, Sly started to shed a few tears himself. Little do they know that their son is very much alive and well, and he will soon come to the rescue...


	18. Chapter 18 The Four Kings

Hey everyone. Time for things to become even more interesting! Enjoy!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 18- The Four Kings

Unknown Location, unknown time: Michael, Jade, Prince, and Sarah were staring around in awe. They were in a huge, magnificent castle surrounded by green grass and large trees as far as the eye can see with a nearby river, which looked as clear as glass. The castle itself was like the kind a Chinese Emperor would occupy himself in; ancient yet strangely, at the same time, modern. It resembled an old war fortress remade in modern times. The sky above them was crystal blue without a cloud in sight. Michael and the others thought they were in Heaven. "Whoa, where are we now?" Michael asked. His friends shook their heads. "Beats me, but it feels peaceful here." Jade answered. "This fortress almost reminds me of my home on my planet." Prince said nostalgically. "I don't know if I should be scared or curious…guess maybe I'm both." Sarah said. Just then, they heard other familiar voices.

"Hey guys, over here!" The gang turned to their left to see Bentley moving their way with Murray and Panda King behind him. They were surprised to them here in this strange place. "Uncle Bentley?! Uncle Murray?! Panda King?! What are you guys doing here?" Michael asked. Murray shrugged. "We have no idea. One minute we were waiting to hear from you when you found Shangdi's weapon, and the next we were glowing like light bulbs and ended up here." "Whatever this place is, it is beautiful." Panda King said. "It sure is, but tell us Michael: How did you and the others get here? Did you find Shangdi's weapon?" Bentley asked. Michael chuckled. "Oh, we sure did!" Michael and the team then told the grown ups about what happened in the mountain; the mysterious voice, the story it told about Shangdi and Slytankhamen I, the weapon itself, and finally the voice telling them about some kind of training. When they were finished, the three were amazed.

"Incredible, you four have the power to control the elements of nature! That's just…unbelievable!" Murray and Panda King agreed greatly with him. "But who was the voice that talked to you all before?" Panda King asked. The team shrugged too. "We have no idea. All the voice said was "I will show you", and then we ended up in the Heaven Estate." Michael answered. "The proper name of this fortress, Michael, would be the Fortress of Kings." The whole gang turned around and saw four other figures approaching them from inside the fortress. One of them was a light blue dragon, another was a red/orange bird, and the next was a black turtle, followed by a white tiger. They were wearing pure white robes and they all looked like middle aged adults. They were normal sized and seemed friendly looking. They stopped in front of our heroes, smiling.

The gang was speechless. The dragon spoke again, for he was the one they just heard a second ago. "Greetings, young ones; I am Mang Zhang, the Azure Dragon of the East." He waved his hand at his companions. "These are my friends: Ling Guang, the Vermilion Bird of the South, Jian Bing, the White Tiger of the West, and Zhi Ming, the Black Tortoise of the North. We are the Four Heavenly Kings of China, the highest servants of Shangdi himself. Each of us watches over a certain part of China, and we have been watching all your actions since you have arrived in our country." Michael and the others couldn't believe they were in the presence of such powerful immortals. Mang Zhang spoke again. "It was I who was communicating to you four back in the Seven Star Mountain, and I was the one who brought you all here. For it is here that your special training shall take place."

"Wait a minute, why did we have to come here for this training?" Michael asked. Zhi Ming answered this time. "Because it is the best and safest environment for this particular training; you really don't think you were going to do it in a clamped, old apartment did you?" Michael laughed. "Good point, Zhi Ming." Bentley approached the kings. "Uh, excuse me, but I have a question too. I understand why you needed to bring Michael and his team here, but why did you bring me, Murray, and Panda King too?" Jian Ming answered him. "We know how much you three mean to Michael, so we brought you here so you can be with him." Bentley thanked him. The tiger king nodded. "You should also know that we have also brought all of your equipment from your Safe House to our fortress; I know that you will need it to keep track of Neyla."

Bentley was ecstatic. "Wow, thanks! I couldn't possibly live without technology!" Everyone laughed, including the Four Kings. Ling Guang asked for their attention. "We will show you where you will be staying; all your belongings are there…including your "technology". Our fortress is compatible with it, show everything should work just as well as on Earth. Follow me." They all walked right behind him and the other kings inside the fortress. As they walked, they saw a garden with a huge fountain in the center; it resembled a certain raccoon with his arms stretched out. Michael smiled as he went on. They then saw an enormous are with unusual equipment. "This is the training grounds, where we will be teaching you how to control the Elemental Orb's power." Mang Zhang said. "How hard will it be?" Jade asked. The dragon looked at her gravely. "Let's just say it will make your challenges with the Zodiac Gem Guardians look like a picnic."

The gang looked at each other with dread. _'Oh crap, I don't like the sound of that.'_ Michael thought as they continued. They went through a nicely polished silver door and saw all their stuff had indeed arrived, including all the tech gear. The room itself looked very comfortable and could easily fit everyone. There were three bedrooms on the left and two bathrooms on the right, and had all the other necessities. "Everything has already been set up, so you can you use your satellite or your teleporter anytime you wish." Jian Ming told them. Zhi Ming turned to the others. "Do you know where Neyla is right now, along with Michael's parents?" They all shook their heads. "We know that Neyla has captured Zeus, Odin, and Ra, but other than that we have been focusing our attention on finding the Zodiac Gems." Prince said shamefully. The black turtle shook his head.

"Do not be ashamed, it is understandable." He then turned to Mang Zhang. He nodded. "Bentley, turn on your computer and use your satellite to locate Neyla, just like you have before." Bentley nodded as he got to work. "Alright, I can still use the _Infiltrator_ to zero in on our tigress. Just give me a sec to find more of those golden particle trails she's been leaving behind." It only took a few moments before he found her. "Yes, I got her exact position!" "Sweet, where is she now?" Michael asked. Bentley zoomed in his satellite's camera on the source of Neyla's particle trail; it showed her inside another old fortress, but unlike the one they were currently occupying, this one was on a huge mountain, the place was run down and completely covered in snow and ice. However, it was huge; about as big as the Fortress of Kings. Neyla was admiring the crown. "What is that place?" Sarah asked. "It is an old castle located in the far North, where Loki had planned for the ritual to take place." Ling Guang answered.

They all turned to face him. Mang Zhang continued. "Yes, it is true. After Loki had made the Immortal Crown, he needed an isolated place on Earth where no human could reach, and that is where his followers had constructed the castle…Mount Everest." "That's the highest mountain in the world!" Bentley said. The kings nodded. "It is the perfect place for the ritual; Loki needed it to take place on the highest mountain on Earth, where the energy pulse from the soon to be aligned planets will hit first. After that, Loki would need some kind of device to focus the energy pulse onto the crown, insuring that the power it has captured will remain in it for all eternity. He never got the chance to build such a device, for he lost to Slytankhamen before he could get to work on it. However, he did leave behind instructions to perform the ritual, and he made sure it would be found by someone with great hunger for power and vengeance…" "Neyla," Michael finished.

"But why would he do that? Why would he want a mortal to finish what he started?" Jade asked. Mang Zhang continued. "We do not know, but we do know that this cannot be allowed to happen. Neyla somehow found the instructions for the ritual and began to lay out her plan." "So that's where she's been keeping my parents all this time." Michael whispered. The kings nodded again. "Uncle Bentley, can you search that castle for them?" "You got it." But while he was searching for them, another old face appeared on Bentley's monitor. Although he looked different, the three grown ups knew instantly that it was Dr. M. "What?! That's not possible!! First Neyla has returned, and now Dr. M too?! How can this be?" Bentley asked frantically. Michael looked at the cybernetic baboon. "You told me about him; he's that whacked out scientist who wanted to open the Cooper Vault so badly years ago, right?" Bentley nodded gravely.

They were watching him working on some gigantic machine in his lab. "He appears to be working on another big project. My guess, he's building a machine that can focus the planet's energy pulse into the crown. But how in the heck did he survive that cave-in back on his island? I thought he was buried alive! Plus, we still don't know how Neyla survived that other battle when Carmelita crushed the Hate Chip and Clockwerk's body exploded and dissolved away!" He turned to the kings to see if they know. Unfortunately, they didn't. "We are sorry, but we are just as uncertain about their survivals as you are." Jian Bing said. Michael shook his head. "Never mind that, let's just see if my parents are there." Instantly, Bentley resumed his search of the castle, starting with the dungeons. Not too long later, he found them. "Yes, there they are!" He focused the satellite's camera on the unhappy pair sitting in a cell with no apparent doorway.

Sly and Carmelita were sleeping at the moment, though both looked extremely uncomfortable. Michael nearly burst into tears; this was the first time he saw them since they have left for work on the day they had disappeared. He was grateful that his parents are still alive, even though they were treated like prisoners. Jade, Prince, and Sarah put their hands on Michael's shoulders for emotional support; he was thankful for them. "Mom, Dad, don't worry; I'm going to get you out of there with my friend's help, I promise." "Your parents are strong people, Michael, but even they won't live through what happens to them." Mang Zhang said after a while. Michael instantly turned around to face the dragon; he looked scared. "What are you talking about? What is Neyla going to do to them?" The dragon hesitated a little before he answered.

"In order to complete the ritual, two sacrifices are needed. The device that focuses the energy pulse into the crown must also draw out the life force of two people who were most despised by the one who starts the ritual. That life force is the final key to completing the ritual, as long as they are hated enemies of the ritual initiator." Michael looked very upset now. "So that's why Neyla captured them? She's going to kill them so she can become all powerful?!" Mang Zhang nodded gravely. Michael cried softly in his hands at this point. Jade hugged him, while he hugged her back. "We won't let it happen Michael. Don't forget, we are all here for you." They all agreed with her. Jade lifted Michael's face up so she can see it. "Remember, we still have one week before the ritual begins. There is still time." Michael smiled as he got a desperate idea. "Uncle Bentley, now that we know where my parents are, can't you use the _Deliverer_ to bring them here?"

He hoped that Bentley would say yes and get to work, but he was disappointed big time. "Sorry Michael, but I can't lock onto your parent's heat signatures; there's too much interference on their end. I think it has to do with all the magic energies that surround that castle." Michael lowered his head, feeling more upset than ever. Zhi Ming spoke up. "There is one hope for your parents, and the world, Michael. You and your friends must master the Elemental Orb's power before the Day of Armageddon arrives. Like Jade said a second ago, one week remains before the ritual commences. You must use that time for the intense training we have planned for you." "But do you think one week will be long enough?" Prince asked. They nodded. "As long as you are giving your training 100, one week will be all the time you need. We will let you rest up. The training will begin tomorrow at 7:00 am, and not a second later. Good luck, you'll need it." With that last statement, the Four Kings left the group alone.

They all sat there in silence for a while, and then Murray's stomach growled loudly! "Uh, sorry guys! Is anybody else hungry?" They all laughed heartily. As they went to their fridge for a bite to eat, Michael kept thinking that he must master his Fire Elemental power within the week to save his parents. "Hey Michael." Jade came up to him. "Hey yourself." Jade looked worried. "Are you okay?" Michael smiled a bit. "I will be, once I kick Neyla's butt." Jade laughed. Michael smiled a little more. "But, if you want to help me feel better…you can give me a big hot kiss." Jade smirked as she put her arms around Michael's neck. "I think I can do that." They then kissed passionately.


	19. Chapter 19 Elemental Awakening

Hi. Sorry it was a little later than usual, but I needed more time to think about this next phase in my story. I hope I did it justice. Now then, let's move on!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 19- Elemental Awakening

Higher Plane; Fortress of Kings. Day 8, 7:00 am: Michael, Jade, Prince, and Sarah had gotten up, eaten, got dressed and headed onto the training grounds, where the Four Heavenly Kings were waiting for them. Michael's team wore unusual clothes today; they were provided with special attire by the kings earlier in the morning before they woke up. The outfits resembled ninja uniforms (though none of them had hoods or masks), and each one was different. Michael's uniform was red with a fire symbol on the chest. Jade's was blue with a huge wave of water symbol. Prince wore yellow with a mountain symbol. Sarah was wearing white with a tornado symbol. They were puzzled by these clothes and proceeded to ask the kings the reason for them. When they arrived on the training grounds, the kings smiled. After they bowed to each other, Mang Zhang spoke.

"Good morning, young ones. Today we begin your training to master the Elemental Orb…" "Uh, excuse me, Mang Zhang." The dragon turned his head towards Michael. "Yes, Michael?" he asked. "Before we start, I gotta ask you something. Why are we dressed like this?" He pointed out his training uniform and the uniforms of the others. "Those uniforms you are wearing are very special. They were made from mystical material that is light, flexible, but extremely tough. Each one has been designed to handle a different element. You will need those uniforms for the training and for the upcoming battle with Neyla." When no one else asked any more question, the blue dragon proceeded. "As I was saying, your training to master the Elemental Orb won't be easy; as a matter of fact, it will be the hardest thing you have ever done." Michael and the gang gulped.

Jian Bing went up next. "To properly master your elemental powers, the training will be divided into 3 steps. The first step is to awaken your elements." Michael and his team looked confused. Zhi Ming continued where his comrade left off. "Right now, your elemental powers are sleeping within your subconsciousness. We will guide you to awaken them, only then will you be ready to proceed with the second step." "How do we awaken our elements?" Jade asked. Ling Guang answered. "First, you will all sit down on your knees with your hands on them." They did as they were told and sat on their knees. "Now, do you remember how to tap into your spiritual energies as you have done so often before?" They nodded. "Good, you will be basically doing the same thing, except it is not your spiritual energies you must unlock, but your elemental energies."

"First, close your eyes. Then search within your subconsciousness for a new energy source that is mingled with your spiritual energies." Mang Zhang instructed. "You will find that your elemental energies won't be as easy to awaken as your spiritual ones; it might take awhile to wake them up." "How will we know the difference btw our spiritual and elemental energies?" Prince asked. "You will feel a great deal more power with the elemental energies. Alright, now concentrate." Michael's team closed their eyes and searched within themselves to find the Elemental Orb's power. Within their subconscious minds, the gang was looking for the great power lying dormant within them. There search took the form of a dark hallway, which ended with an ominous looking door. Cautiously, they went through to find their individual spiritual energies. To them, they resembled bright grey lanterns.

"Whoa, I never thought our spiritual energies were lanterns! This never happened before." Michael said. "We are in our subconscious minds Michael, so I guess this is what our spirits must look like to us. I guess this is different because it is not their energy that we are seeking this time." Sarah said curiously. With a closer look, they saw that the lanterns each had a bigger one on top with a certain colored flame within each of them. Each flame had the same color as the gang's uniforms. "Hey guys, I think these colored flames are our powers from the Elemental Orb." Michael said. They were walking around their own spirit lanterns now, trying to think of how to awaken them. "So what do we do now?" Prince asked. "I guess that when we use our spiritual energies to help us fight, we open up the lanterns and allow their energy to flow through us." Jade answered logically. Michael nodded.

"I get it; if we can open up the elemental lanterns, we can gain access to their power." Michael responded. He then reached out for his "Fire" lantern and tried to open it, but the latches that kept the lantern closed wouldn't budge. The others were having no better luck with their elements. "Darn it! Those kings were kidding!" Michael said as he continued to try to open his element. After a while, they sat down in frustration. They thought a little about the elemental lanterns. Suddenly, Sarah came up with an idea. "I just thought of something." "What would that be?" asked Michael. The young eagle turned towards him. "I was thinking, we can't open the elemental lanterns on our own. But maybe we can open them with some our spiritual energy." The others thought about this, and they agreed.

"Okay, let's try it; it seems like that's the only option we got." Prince said. The gang got back up and returned to their respective lanterns. They all held out their hands in front of their spirit lanterns. "Alright everyone, let's do it!" Michael said as he opened up his spirit lantern again, which resulted in his hands glowing. Jade, Prince, and Sarah also had glowing hands. More confident this time, Michael put his spirit powered hands onto the elemental lantern and began to open it once more. He was still having trouble, and after a few moments he was about to give up again, but he could feel the lanterns latches loosen up. Smiling at this progress, he continued. Slowly, but surely, his elemental lantern was opening up. He turned his head to see if the others were progressing; he was pleased that they were. "Yes, it's working! Keep it up!"

After a few more minutes, the elemental lanterns were finally open! "We did it Michael! We opened them!" Jade yelled in joy. At that moment, the energy from the elemental lanterns began to flow around our heroes. Michael was glowing red from his elemental power, Jade was glowing blue, Prince was glowing yellow, and Sarah was glowing white. Their auras were huge. "I can feel my element coursing through me!" Prince said. "It feels incredible!" Michael replied. Just then, they returned to the training grounds. They were still sitting in the same positions they were before, but they can still feel their new power flowing within them. The Kings seemed pleased. "Good work, you managed to awaken your Elemental Orb powers sooner than we anticipated." Mang Zhang said. "We can feel your power emitting from you, but how do you all feel?" Jian Bing asked.

As they glowed, Michael and the team beamed at the kings. "To be honest, it feels unbelievable!" Michael said. "Yeah, I _never_ felt anything like this in my whole life!" Jade said. "I like how this new power feels!" Prince said. "It feels like I have bonded with a long lost piece of myself. It is amazing!" Sarah said. The kings seemed pleased with their student's responses. "Excellent, by using your spiritual power you were able to awaken your elemental energies. Now that you have unlocked its power, the Elemental Orb will allow you to access its power whenever you wish. Before one can use the orb's power, the orb itself must become familiar with the spiritual energy of its user, or in this case, users. The Elemental Orb's power within each of you has recognized you as its new masters, so now it knows who you all are. Did you know that it took Slytankhamen I nearly a week to awaken the orb's power within himself?" Zhi Ming asked.

The four of them became shocked. "My ancestor took _that_ long to unlock the orb's power?!" Michael asked incredulously. The black turtle nodded. "He had great skill in battle, but he became easily frustrated when it came to the orb's power. It took a lot of guidance, and a little patience, but eventually the training paid off." As they sat there, the elemental energies then vanished, leaving the team feel normal again. "You can now access your elemental powers as easily as your spiritual ones." Ling Guang said. Sarah asked him how much time had passed while she and her friends were unlocking the orb's power. "Several hours have gone by since your training started, Sarah." "Several hours?! It felt like minutes to us!" Jade said in shock. Mang Zhang stepped forward. "Yes, one can lose track of time in the subconscious mind.

"It is about noon, so how about we have a quick lunch and return for the second step in your training?" Michael and his friends felt their stomachs growl, so they nodded enthusiastically. The kings laughed at their responses. As the walked back into the castle, Michael asked what the next step is. Mang Zhang looked ominous. "You will know when we return here." Michael grunted. _'Man, these guys are just like the Zodiac Gem Guardians; they always keep you hanging like a cliffhanger from a popular TV show. I hate been kept in the dark like that, it's irritating.'_ The dragon laughed silently at Michael's thought. _'He has the same impatience as his ancestor. I'd be worried about him if he didn't have all his friends here with him. He will be fine.'_

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Castle on Mount Everest: Neyla was having the time of her life. She used her magic to change her room into a fancy bed chamber. She was lying on her bed, with her arms folded behind her head and her legs stretched out; she felt like a queen. Her eyes were closed as she plucked a grape from her fruit bowl every now and then. "Ah yes, this is truly the life. Imagine how much better it will be when I take the world as my own! It will be glorious!" She continued to eat from her fruit bowl when she heard her door knock. "You may enter." She said lazily. Once again, Dr. M had arrived to talk to her. Neyla looked amused. "Hello doctor, what do you want this time?" The robo monkey smiled. "I came to give you an update on the machine: It is approximately halfway complete, and it should be finished within a few days."

Neyla sat up a little and showed that she was pleased. "Thank you for the update, Dr. M. I am pleased with your progress. You may go now." He remained where he stood. Neyla looked curious. "Is there something else I should know?" Dr M. nodded. "Yes, there is something else. I have paid Sly and Carmelita a little visit. Needless to say, they were just as happy to see me as they were when they saw you." They laughed loudly. "Oh, I can imagine the shock on their faces when they saw you! However, that was something that I didn't really need to know." "I haven't told you what you needed to know yet!" Dr. M said annoyingly. Neyla sighed. "Well then, go on!" Dr. M proceeded. "While I was verbally abusing them, Carmelita suddenly felt dizzy and collapsed on the floor. Sly thought she might have fallen ill."

Neyla was not pleased to hear that. "WHAT?! No, this was not part of the plan! Carmelita can't be ill, not when we are so close to victory!" The baboon shook his head. "No, no don't worry! I know how important it was that they both remain as healthy as possible, so I took a blood sample from her and analyzed it in my medical lab. After a few hours, I found a very shocking discovery!" Neyla was very worried now. "What did you find out? What is wrong with her?" Dr. M hesitated a little before giving his answer. "Carmelita is pregnant."

The tigress was shocked. "Carmelita is _pregnant_? Are you sure, doctor?" Dr. M nodded. "I am quite sure. The test results came out positive; she is carrying a child within her." Neyla took a while to digest this revelation. "This is…very unexpected. I don't know how that will affect the ritual." The cybernetic ape assured her that her pregnancy would have no side effects on the ritual. "I hope you are right, doctor. Tell me, did you tell Carmelita and Sly the big news?" Dr. M shook his head. "No, I thought it would be a good idea to inform you first before telling our prisoners." Neyla smiled evilly. "Thank you for informing me first, Dr. M. I think I will tell them myself, and mix it with a little…irony." She then walked out of her room to proceed to Sly and Carmelita's cell, laughing insanely on the way.


	20. Chapter 20 The Second Step

Hey. It's time for our heroes' training to continue. Sorry if it's a little short, but I want to save the good stuff for my next chapter. Enjoy!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 20- The Second Step

Castle on Mount Everest: Sly was holding Carmelita in his arms, looking worried. Since the moment she collapsed, he became concerned that the cold temperature and lack of good food may have affected her health. She was worried as well. "Sly, do you think I'm getting sick?" Trying to cheer her up, Sly joked around. "If you mean getting sick of being trapped here with an arch nemesis that has nasty plans for us, then I think yes." They laughed a little bit. "Thanks for trying to help me feel better." Sly kissed her on her forehead. "You're very much welcome, dear."

Just then, Neyla walked in with a huge smirk on her face. "So how is my favorite couple doing today?" Sly and Carmelita sneered at her. "We're not talking to you!" Carmelita said nastily. The tigress shrugged. "Fine, I had come to tell you why you collapsed earlier, but since you are not in the mood to talk…" She began to walk away when Sly yelled at her to stop.

"Wait; please tell us what is wrong with her!" Smiling, she turned back towards them. "Alright, since you insisted Sly. A few hours ago, Dr. M examined your wife's blood for any sign of infection. You will be happy to know that she is not coming down with anything." The couple smiled at each other. Neyla continued. "However, my minion did find something rather…interesting."

They both stared at Neyla with worried looks. "What did that tin plated baboon find?" Carmelita asked. Neyla continued to smile, and not in a caring way. "Well, it would seem that…" she hesitated. "WHAT IS IT?" they both asked in unison. Neyla then examined her nails without a care. "Sly, it would seem that your wife is going to have a baby."

Sly and Carmelita stood there in complete shock. They couldn't believe what they had just heard. Carmelita was the first to speak after a long silence. "I'm…pregnant?" Neyla nodded while still examining her nails. "Yes, old friend, you are pregnant. Dr. M has the test results to prove it. If you want to see them for yourself, be my guest." The couple stared at one another, not knowing whether to be believe it or not. Sly, wanting to know for sure, asked her to bring the test results. "Very well, I'll be back very shortly. However, it would seem ironic to me. You have lost one child, and soon you will lose this one too when the ritual begins!" Neyla then walked out, ignoring Carmelita's shouts about insulting Michael. After she stopped, she turned to Sly with mixed feelings.

"Oh Sly, I don't know whether I should shout for joy or in pain. If we had found out in a better setting, I would be the happiest woman in the world. But we are not such a setting, are we?" Sly cupped her face in his hands, staring intently at her. "Carmelita, don't talk like that. Hearing that we are going to have another baby is the most wonderful news any married couple could possibly have asked for! I have no idea how we are going to get out of here, but I have faith that a miracle can happen. We just have to believe in it, alright?"

His wife smiled as she hugged him. "You are right, Sly. Having another child is wonderful news. I just wish we could tell Michael." Sly nodded. "If he is still out there, and if we find him, we'll tell him." They continued to hold each other for a while, hoping they will live to be parents again.

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Higher Plane; Fortress of Kings. Day 8, 1:00 pm: Michael's team and the Four Kings had returned to the training grounds to continue where they left off. Mang Zhang spoke. "Now that we have filled ourselves up, it is time to continue with the training. As you know, this training is split into 3 steps. An hour ago, all four of you have completed the first step: Awakening your elemental powers. The next step, however, will take a lot longer to complete. Also, it will be much harder. Don't expect to get it right on your first try. Are you all ready to proceed?" Everyone nodded while looking slightly nervous.

"Very well, let us move on. Your second step to master the Elemental Orb is to familiarize yourselves with the power you have just awakened." The group looked confused. "What do you mean by that?" Michael asked. The dragon answered in a serious voice.

"You feel the orb's power coursing through you when you awaken it, but it is still alien to you. No offense, Prince Sly." The young wolf nodded. "None taken, Mang Zhang." Mang Zhang continued. "In order to use the orb's power properly, you must become one with it. I want all of you to use its power as if it were a part of you. Once this is accomplished you will be ready for the third and final step, which we will tell you when it is time."

He then motioned for Jian Bing to come forward. "To start, you will all be divided and trained by one of us." Jade interrupted. "Hold on, why are we splitting up?" The white tiger replied calmly. "You are being split up because it would cause less interruptions and it would be easier to teach you how to use a certain element." When no one else asked a question, Jian Bing proceeded.

"Now then, let's see. Prince Sly, you are with me." Prince nodded as he stood up and walked towards him. "Sarah, you shall train with Ling Guang. Jade will be with Zhi Ming, and Michael will train with Mang Zhang. Everyone clear on this?" They all nodded again. "Alright, we shall walk to certain areas of the training grounds where you can practice your elemental powers best. Follow your designated masters and good luck. We shall return to the fortress this evening to discuss your progress."

At that moment, the group split up in different directions. Half an hour later, they stopped at the perfect spots to proceed with their training. Sarah and Ling Guang have settled on top of a huge hilltop with lots of wind. Prince and Jian Bing stopped at the center of a mountainous area. Jade and Zhi Ming settled on the shores of a great lake. Michael and Mang Zhang have stopped in what appears to be a barren desert. The Four Kings then said the same thing at the same time:

"Let's begin!"


	21. Chapter 21 Hard Training

Hey everybody! Here is the Michael and the gang training to master their elements! Will they succeed? Let's see if they do!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 21- Hard Training

Sarah's P.O.V.: As they stood on the hilltop, Ling Guang began to teach his student about her element. "Sarah, I chose this hilltop because the winds up here are at their strongest; it is the perfect place for you practice your element." "It sure is; I can barely stand up here with all these high winds." Sarah said as she felt a strong gust of wind trying to blow her off. The Vermilion Bird laughed. "As you learn to become one with air, you will have little trouble of standing on this spot." He paused before he proceeded. "Now, to begin, you must first activate your orb power." Sarah nodded as she concentrated to awaken her air element. When she started to glow white, Ling Guang continued.

"Good, now hold out your right hand with your palm open." Sarah held out her hand. "Now concentrate. Command the air around you to gather at the palm of your hand to form a ball. It might take a little effort, so take your time." The nomad nodded as she concentrated. Slowly the winds began to swirl around Sarah's hand. When she felt that the ball was stable, she relaxed a bit. Ling Guang was pleased. "Excellent Sarah! Your sphere of air looks perfect. Now try it with your other hand." Sarah sighed as she began the process with her other hand. She soon discovered that it was harder to form a second air sphere while still maintaining the stability of the first one. Just when she almost got it, both spheres burst into huge wind gusts that blew Sarah off her feet!

As Ling Guang helped Sarah to her feet, he told her to not be ashamed of herself. "But I failed to maintain both spheres! It was just too hard." The orange bird nodded. "That was only your first try; you will improve with practice. Now try again." Sarah held out her palms again, but she did something different this time. Instead of forming one sphere at a time, she tried to form two at once. She put in a lot more effort on her power to focus the air around her. Sarah commanded the winds that were blowing at her to gather at her palms. The next thing that Ling Guang saw was that his student had succeeded in forming two air spheres at the same time.

"Well done Sarah! You used your will power to force the winds to form around your hands, thus making the spheres. You have just mastered the basics of using the air power of the Elemental Orb: Connect with the air to command it. You did it excellently." Sarah smiled and felt proud of her self. Ling Guang then told her to release the spheres. Once she did, her trainer smiled. "Now let's try something a little harder." Sarah gulped before continuing. "Next, I want you to concentrate the air into the bottom of your feet…"

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Prince's P.O.V.: Once they had settled into the mountain filled canyon, Jian Bing and Prince began their training. "Alright Prince Sly, are you ready to begin?" The wolf prince nodded confidently. The tiger king smiled. "Good, now let's begin. First activate your Earth power." Once Prince started to glow bright yellow, Jian Bing continued. "Now I want you to use your power to mold a boulder from the mountain on your left." Prince nodded as he held out his hands towards the mountain and started to concentrate. He found it very hard to pull out the boulder he was to create. Jian Bing noticed this and gave him some help. "Feel the earth around you. Will the earth to form the boulder." "I will try." Prince said frustratingly.

Jian Bing shook his head. "No, do or do not; there is _no_ try." Sighing, Prince continued. Slowly he felt the rock from the mountain moving towards him. He continued to pull it out slowly. After a minute or two, he finally got that pesky boulder to form, leaving a huge hole in the mountain. Prince was tired from the task. "Nice job, Prince Sly. Now why don't you use your power to move the rock on the mountain so that the hole will be gone?" Prince was stunned to hear that. "I can barely stand, let alone seal up a hole in a mountain." The tiger king shook his head again. "I know that you are weary, but I know you can do it. Now seal up that hole."

Prince held out his arms again and began to move the rock to fill in the gap that was formed from removing the boulder. Once he was done, Prince collapsed. He was out of breath. Jian Bing sat down in front of him. "Well done, Prince Sly." As he lay there, Prince let out his frustration. "This power over Earth is harder than I thought it would be. It took me nearly all I had to make that boulder and seal up the hole it made! I don't know how I can master this power in a week!" Jian Bing smiled. "You were warned that this training would be the hardest thing you have ever done. Of all the elements to master, Earth is probably the second hardest; at least it was for Slytankhamen I. After a few minutes, we will continue." Prince nodded.

"Do not let this training break you, Prince Sly. You have done well so far, and I know that you will master it in time for the final battle. Your friends believe in you, and so do the Four Kings." Prince smiled from his master's encouragement. After a few minutes of rest, Prince Sly got back on his feet. He was ready to continue. "I am ready to proceed." Jian Bing nodded. "Excellent, now you have experienced how difficult it was to move Earth, you should be able to command it better. I suggest you use that boulder you just created as a means to protect yourself." Prince Sly seemed confused, so his master explained. "The Earth can be used as a defense as well as an offense."

Just then, Jian Bing fired an energy bolt from his hand towards Prince! Instinctively, Prince summoned the boulder with his orb power to block the energy bolt, which caused the boulder to shatter into pebbles. Jian Bing clapped. "That was what I meant, Prince Sly. Superb job in commanding that boulder to shield you just in time. You are starting to bond well with your Earth power." Prince smiled. "Now then, I think the next thing for you to do is to make those pebbles into something useful…"

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Jade's P.O.V.: At the lake that Jade Zhi Ming had found, they began to train. "Are you ready to begin, Jade?" "As ready as I'll ever be." The young panther said. Zhi Ming nodded. "Okay, now tap into your orb power." She did and started to glow blue once more. "Now follow me." The black turtle then started to walk on the lake water! Jade was astounded. "How did you do that?" Zhi Ming smiled as he stood on the middle of the lake. "I am able to because it is natural for me. With your Water power, you should be able to as well." Nodding nervously, Jade began to step into the water. "Focus on the water around your feet; command it to lift you on its surface." Zhi Ming instructed.

Jade then closed her eyes and concentrated on the water. _'Allow me to walk on the surface. Allow me to walk on the surface.'_ As she focused, she felt her self rise. When she opened her eyes and looked down, she gasped. She was actually standing on the water! Smiling, she turned to her master. Zhi Ming was pleased. "Come to where I am, Jade." She nodded and walked to where her master was waiting. She had not lost her focus on the water below her feet as she moved. Jade stopped in front of Zhi Ming. "This is so amazing! I never imagined that I'd actually walk on water some day!" Zhi Ming laughed a bit. "You will get used to it. Now then, let us proceed. The first thing I want you to do is to command the water to form a bubble around you."

"Yes master." Jade then lifted up her hands and asked the water to form a bubble around her. Within seconds, a giant bubble formed around her. Jade was pleased with herself, as was Zhi Ming. "Nice work, Jade; that bubble can be used to protect yourself from energy based attacks, and with practice it will even protect you from physical ones as well." Jade nodded as she let the bubble collapsed. "Alright, your next task is to use the water as a weapon. Try to form a wave and have it come after me." Jade was stunned. "A wave? Don't you think that is a little advanced right now?" "Just try it; it will give you a good idea of how tough controlling water is." Jade shrugged. "Alright master, if you say so."

She then raised her arms again. Almost instantly, the water formed a huge wave behind her and stood waiting to strike. Zhi Ming couldn't believe how Jade easily formed a wave this big and so quickly. Jade smiled as she threw her arms out at her master, commanding the wave to attack. In defense, Zhi Ming formed an energy shield around himself. As the wave crashed around him, he instantly felt colder. That was when he noticed that the wave water was freezing around him! Seconds later, he was trapped in a frozen sphere. Astounded, he used his power to break free of the ice dome. Once he was free, the water melted back into the lake. Zhi Ming stared at Jade, who seemed really pleased with herself. Zhi Ming was astonished.

"How did you know how to freeze the water?! That is an advanced technique of your Water power you shouldn't be starting on yet!" Jade smiled as she answered. "It was simple; I willed the water to become solid by asking it to drop the temperature to freezing point. I figured that a wave would not be enough to stop any enemy, so I thought I should surprise you by freezing the water around you, trapping you inside it." Jade then held her hands up. "Look master, I'm sorry that it was not what you instructed, but I thought…" Zhi Ming held up his hand to silence her. He was smiling. "Do not apologize for you accomplishments. You have proven yourself to be a natural user of the Water power of the Elemental Orb. Freezing water so easily and so quickly would take a lot longer to achieve, and you've done it in seconds! I am very proud of you!"

Jade smiled at her master. "Though in the future, no more surprise moves, okay?" The panther nodded. "Yes master." "Good, now let's see. Since you have just demonstrated how natural a water user you are, let's try something really challenging." "Like what?" Jade asked. Zhi Ming smiled mischievously. "Like maybe how to use the water to help you breathe underneath it…"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Michael's P.O.V.: In the burning hot desert, Michael stood before Mang Zhang. Michael was already beginning to sweat. "Oh man, it's scorching out here! Why did we come to this place?" The dragon smiled. "We have come here because the intense heat will help you in master your Fire orb power. Are you ready?" Michael nodded. "Let's do it." Mang Zhang nodded too. "First things first, activate your orb power like before." Michael concentrated until he was glowing red again. "Now Michael, use the heat to form a fire on that wood pile on your right." Mang Zhang pointed to a smile wood pile on Michael's right. Michael held out his hands at the wood pile.

As hard as he tried, he couldn't even get a spark to appear. "It's not working! Why isn't it lighting up?" Mang Zhang answered patiently. "Concentrate harder Michael. Will the heat to form flames on the wood." Michael began to focus even more on the wood. _'Come on, I need to get this wood burning! Give me some help here will you?!'_ A second later, a blazing fire appeared on the wood pile. Michael sat down on his butt, tired from both the heat and the effort. Mang Zhang still stood in front of him. "Nice work Michael; that is a beautiful fire you made. And best of all, you didn't need any matches!" They both laughed. But all too soon, Mang Zhang instructed Michael to get back on his feet.

"Alright, now I want you to try something a little harder." "Harder than lighting a camp fire?" The blue dragon nodded. "I want you to try and stop the fire from burning." Michael's jaw dropped. "You got to be kidding me! After putting that fire on, you want me to put it out?" "Yes; knowing how to stop a fire is as important as knowing how to start on. A true Fire orb power master must know this. Now try it." Grunting, Michael held out his arms again at the fire, and tried to stop it. True to Mang Zhang's word, the flames would not die. _'Hey, I told you to burn didn't I? So why don't you be good little flames and burn out!'_ A few minutes later, the fire was gone. After Michael sat down again, Mang Zhang sat next to him.

"I knew you could do it; well done Michael." The young raccoon shook his head. "Damn, why is it so hard to get this power to work for me?" The dragon put a hand on his shoulder and smiled. "It is hard because Fire is the hardest element to master. Of all the elements of nature, Fire is the one with the most life and most untamable. It does not just take will power to command the fire, but it takes passion as well. You have that in spades, young one. With more practice, you will learn to control the Fire power much more easily." Michaelnodded."Thanks master." After drinking some water they brought with them, they stood up once more.

"I think your next step, Michael, is to use your orb power to shoot a stream of fire at this shrub there." He pointed to a dead looking shrub on Michael's left. Michael sighed. "Shoot flames?! I can barely start fires, let alone become a living flamethrower!" Mang Zhang nodded. "Just try it. Remember, fire is something that must be tamed. Control it; don't let it control you." Michael nodded as turned to face the shrub. "Okay, here goes nothing." He held out his arms towards his target and began to focus again. He concentrated more than he has ever done, and soon his hands had started to spark in flames. "Come on Fire power, work for me! FIRE NOW!!"

A huge burst of flames shot from Michael's hands towards the shrub and burned it to a crisp! Michael was stunned by the power he had just used. Mang Zhang was pleased. "Impressive; you are indeed starting to understand the nature of fire. Good work Michael." Michael smiled at his master. "What's next?" The dragon smiled again. "I am glad you've asked…"

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About sun set, the Four Kings and their students had returned to the fortress. All four kings stood before them. "Well done, all of you. Your first day of training was better than we expected. We are pleased with how you all started out." Mang Zhang said. The students smiled at each other. Ling Guang spoke next. "We will continue where we left off tomorrow at 7:00 am. We will meet at the same places as today. So rest up, and we will see you all again bright and early. Good night to all of you." They all bowed to each other and went their separate ways. The Four Kings returned to their private chambers, while Michael and his friends returned to their chamber.

At dinner, they told Bentley, Murray, and Panda King about their first day of training. Sarah went first. "It was exhausting! First I had to form balls of air in my hands, and then I had to learn to fly using the controlled air! And that was just the first day!" Prince came next. "My training was nearly as tiring. I had to form a boulder from a mountain wall and reseal it. I then used the boulder as a shield when I was attacked! Afterwards, I used the pebbles from the boulder to create an armor of Earth to surround myself! Now that was a challenge!" "I didn't have too much trouble with my Water orb power." Jade said. The others stared at her. "What did Zhi Ming put you through?" Michael asked.

Jade smiled humorously. "Oh nothing much, just to walk on water, form a bubble like shield, launch a wave on Zhi Ming and surprising him by freezing it in place, and finally focused on the oxygen molecules in the water to help me breathe underwater. I also was able to swim much faster because of my orb power. It was actually pretty fun!" They all dropped their jaws. "You did all that without breaking a sweat?!" Bentley asked. Jade nodded. "Yep, Zhi Ming actually said that I was a natural water user." Michael laughed. "You may not have broken a sweat, but I sure did, considering I was in the middle of a hot, burning desert." "What happened there?" Murray asked.

"I basically had to light and put out a camp fire. Not very exciting if you ask me. But man, when I shot blazing flames from my hands, the shrub was incinerated! Not only that, but I also had to focus all the heat around me into a flaming ring around my body! It was about twice my size!" They were all impressed by the young one's training. "Astonishing how quickly you are mastering your elements; you four were most definitely meant to have the Elemental Orb." Panda King said proudly. "Thanks Panda King, but we still got a long way to go before we are ready to face Neyla. We need to really master our powers as quickly as we can." Michael said.

After their meals, everyone got dressed for bed. As they went to their beds, Michael stopped Jade. "I just want so say that I was really impressed with your control over your orb power. I wish I can control mine just as easily." Jade smiled as she kissed Michael on the lips. "You will get the hang of it, trust me. Now good night, handsome." "Good night, beautiful." They then went into their separate rooms and instantly fell asleep.


	22. Chapter 22 The Last Step

Welcome back! Let's watch as the training continues. Enjoy!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 22- The Last Step

Higher Plane, Fortress of Kings: Over the next three days, Michael's team's training got a lot harder. The good thing is, however, they were getting more and more comfortable with their elemental powers. Even though the Four Kings kept giving them very challenging ways to us their powers, our heroes and heroines always do their best to complete them. Each hour during those three days, their powers and control over them grew stronger and stronger.

Sarah's power over air was amazing. She had mastered flying by focusing the air beneath her constantly to keep her airborne. She had also learned how to fire wind gusts from her hands to blow all her obstacles away, create thick clouds of fog to hide her from sight, form spinning discs of wind that can slice through nearly anything, and even summon small tornadoes to cause major damage. Needless to say, Ling Guang was very pleased with Sarah's progress as a user of Air. He told her on the 4th day that she could not possibly be any better than she was. Sarah smiled and said thanks. _'She is ready for the last step.'_ Ling Guang thought as he watched his student train.

Prince was doing equally well with his power over earth. He had mastered his ability to form rock armor around his body; almost nothing could penetrate it as long he kept his concentration. Not only that, but he learned a few new techniques. He learned how to form large cannons from the ground and launch a never ending barrage of small boulders, build an army of rock soldiers for diversions, create avalanches from nearby mountains, form large crystal shields and if he wanted he could start an earthquake as a last resort. Jian Bing couldn't be more proud of the wolf prince. He felt that he was also ready for the final step of the training. On the fourth day Jian Bing told Prince he was very proud of him and to continue the hard work.

Jade was practically a master water user on her fourth day of training. Thanks to her power, she was the fastest swimmer alive. She had also learned to surf on waves to really get the drop on her opponents, create whirlpools strong enough to pull a huge ship inside, improve her bubble shield to keep physical attacks from getting through, and she can even cause rain and snow storms. Zhi Ming was very proud of her for progressing so much in such a short time, as was Jade herself. He couldn't believe how much of a natural Jade was with her water power. _'She was definitely meant to have the Elemental Orb's power over Water. She is ready for the final step.'_ He smiled as he watched Jade continue her training.

Michael was finally getting the hang of his power over fire. He mastered shooting fire from his hands and learned to maintain his fire wall for a while. During the next three days, he learned other fire based moves. He learned how to run faster than anyone by covering his body with fire and use the extra energy to boost his speed dramatically, and became twice as strong by using the fire's immense energy. He also learned to melt boulders by increasing the temperature of the flames, covered his cane in fire so that it can melt anything it touched, draw more power from the sun, and can manipulate flames in different forms including knives and a fire like machine gun! Mang Zhang was pleased about Michael's progress. The dragon said to himself that Michael was ready for the final step.

Day 11, 7:00 am: Michael, Jade, Prince and Sarah stood before the Four Kings, still a little tired from their four days of hard training, but ready for anything else they can throw at them. Mang Zhang came forward. "Congratulations young ones, you have progressed very far in your training in a short time. We could not be more proud of you. Well done all of you." The team smiled. "Thanks, it was definitely tough mastering those elements." Michael said. The others agreed strongly with him. The kings nodded. "We are glad that you appreciate how difficult the Elemental Orb's power was to master. It was no easy feat for Slytankhamen I. However, he didn't master the orb's power as quickly as you all did." Ling Guang said proudly.

Zhi Ming cleared his throat. "It is clear at this point, you all have become familiar with the Elemental Orb's powers. Now it is time for the third and final step of your training. Once this is accomplished, all 4 of you will have completely mastered the orb." "What is the final step?" Jade asked. Jian Bing answered her. "You all must use your new found powers…to defeat yourselves." Michael and the others looked completely confused. "Say what?" Michael asked. The tiger pointed behind them. When the team turned around, they were shocked. They were staring at what appeared to be doubles of themselves, except that their uniforms were all black and they had nasty expressions.

"Uh, masters, I think we're seeing double!" Michael exclaimed. Jian Bing stepped in btw the students and their dark selves. "What you see before you are your dark sides in physical form; we took them out of your souls while you were all asleep in preparation for the last step. They can do everything you can, including your elemental powers. Your dark counterparts represent all your negative emotions and none of your positive ones. They are your final step in this training; if you can't beat them, you would have no chance against Neyla. Only by conquering and controlling your dark sides, will you truly be masters of the Elemental Orb." The gang looked back at their other selves and shivered a little. The evil doppelgangers sniggered.

"What's wrong Michael, you too chicken to go up against your darker half?" Dark Michael asked overconfidently. Michael snarled at him. "Who's chicken? I sure am not!" The other three taunted their better halves as well. Jade, Prince, and Sarah looked ready to pummel them. "Do not hesitate to fight them, for they will not go easy on any of you." Zhi Ming said cautiously. "Are you ready?" Ling Guang asked. The team looked at the kings, and then back at their dark halves. They nodded. "Very well, then begin." The Four Kings then stepped back a little to give Michael's team and their dark halves the fighting space they needed. Without another word, the light and dark pairs split up in different places to fight each other.

Sarah attacked her dark half with a gust of wind, but Dark Sarah merely waved her hand and the gust dissipated. She was shocked at how her assault was stopped so easily. Dark Sarah smirked. "Is that all you got? Let me show you how it's done!" She then threw out both her hands and created a wind gust twice as strong as Sarah's. It blew her about 20 ft away and landed hard. As she got up, Dark Sarah flew in front of her. "I expected more from you, goody girl. I'm not impressed." Sarah, in her anger, threw a wind disc at her. But once again, Dark Sarah counterattacked with her own disc. They both managed to dodge, but Sarah didn't dodge it completely; her right arm got cut near the shoulder. Her dark side laughed saying that she dodged without a scratch.

Sarah got back up again and flew in the air, with her counterpart right behind her. They stared at each other with anger in their eyes. At the same time, they both launched a tornado at each other. They were pushing one another to prove which was superior. Sarah and Dark Sarah were not letting up, each adding more power to their attacks. Ultimately, it was Dark Sarah's tornado that was triumphant as it blew Sarah's tornado away into nothing. The result blew Sarah out of the sky and she landed hard back on the ground. Dark Sarah flew down and landed gracefully. She had her arms crossed. "I think we both know which of us is better, don't you?" Sarah looked down in defeat as her dark half faded.

Prince was having just as much trouble with his dark half. He put on his rock armor, but Dark Prince didn't even bother with that. "I'm so scared by your armor…wait, no I'm not!" he said sarcastically as he launched a boulder he formed from the ground at Prince. He tried to block it, but the boulder shattered the armor on impact and knocked Prince down. "Ow, that wasn't pretty!" he said in pain. Dark Prince looked smug while tapping his foot impatiently. "Well, I'm waiting! Give it your best shot already!" Prince looked determined to bring his dark side down. "If it is my best shot you want, then it is my best shot you shall get!

Immediately, Prince raised his arms up and formed at least four small mountains and surrounded Dark Prince with them. Dark Prince looked amused. Prince smirked as he threw down his arms and caused the mountains to fall on top of him in one huge avalanche. When the dust settled, Prince felt victorious as his avalanche succeeded in burying his dark half. Unfortunately, the rocks burst away to reveal that Dark Prince was still alive and kicking. Prince couldn't believe he survived that. "Not bad, "Your Highness", but let us see how you handle this!" Dark Prince said as he launched a barrage of boulders at his good half. Prince formed a rock wall to block the boulders, but it didn't last long as it shattered in seconds like his armor.

When he dodged the last boulder, he turned to face his dark half again only to find that he had vanished. Prince turned in multiple directions to find him, but he was no where in sight. Suddenly, he felt someone grab his feet. He looked down and was shocked; Dark Prince had moved underground to attack from below. He dragged him below the surface. Lots of punching noises and screams were heard before Prince came flying out of the hole and landed, defeated. Dark Prince got back out and stared down at his counterpart. "You were a disappointment to me." He then faded as Prince got back on his feet, feeling ashamed that he had failed.

Jade and her dark half ran to the lake to start their battle. Once they were both standing on the water, the fight began. Jade attacked with a big wave, but Dark Jade counterattacked by freezing the wave and then melting it, causing it to fall back on the lake without even touching her. She laughed. "Come on girl, is that the best you can do?" "No, it isn't!" she retorted as she formed a powerful whirlpool around her dark half. Dark Jade soon submerged by the strong pull of the whirlpool. Jade smiled, thinking she had defeated her dark side. Just when she thought it was over, another whirlpool appeared; it was right beneath Jade! Caught of guard, she was dragged underwater just like her evil counterpart.

Luckily, Jade had learned to use the oxygen molecules in the water to breath, otherwise she would have drowned. She looked around for any sign of Dark Jade. She was a few feet away from her. "Not bad, dragging me down here. But don't forget, anything you can do I can do better!" Jade shook her head. "We'll see about that." Dark Jade then swam at her good half at astounding speed; Jade barely managed to move out of the way before she was hit. Jade then did some swimming of her own and chased after her. It was like watching two missiles trying to blow each other up; that was how fast they were moving. Jade managed to cut in front of Dark Jade and punched her.

Shaking off the blow, Dark Jade punched back and fired a ball of water at her. It blew Jade back several feet before she regained control. She then swam back to her dark side and moved around to her back. Jade then formed a bubble around her evil half and froze it. It then sank to the bottom due to the amount of mass the ice added. When it hit the bottom, Jade felt proud that she beat her dark half. However, the ice sphere melted and Dark Jade looked up at her good side, looking bored. Jade was shocked. "You shouldn't be surprised; I have your waters too, remember? Now watch this!" She extended her arms and formed a giant ball of water, and then she threw it at Jade!

It came so fast that Jade didn't have enough time to get out of the way. The ball hit her with such force that it launched her out of the water and back onto dry land. She was laying there, soaking wet, coughing and breathing hard. A few seconds later Dark Jade returned looking victorious. "I should have none that you would be no match for me. Better luck next time, good half." She then vanished, leaving Jade very depressed about her failure to beat her dark half.

Michael and Dark Michael were on fire, literally. They both were covered in flames and tried to prove which one was better. They exchanged punches and kicks, each stronger than normal. Each blow caused a burst of fire to erupt from the impacts they made. After punching each other's fists and being pushed back a few inches, they stared at each other. "Not too shabby, for a thief's kid! Can you do anything else?" Dark Michael taunted. Michael spit on the ground. "Yeah, I'll show you what I got up my sleeve!" Michael then threw fireballs at his dark side, only to have them miss. Dark Michael dodged so gracefully that it was unreal. "That was pathetic!" he said.

Michael sneered. "I'll show you who's pathetic, pal!" He ran up to him and jumped on top of him. Michael then raised arms up and caused a tornado of fire to appear around them. Michael then jumped high up, and moved his arms downwards. "Let's see if you can take the heat!" The flame tornado then moved faster and faster, building up more power as it spun. When Michael closed his fists, the tornado exploded! He landed perfectly on his feet while looking at the spot where the explosion took place. When the smoke was gone, his jaw dropped. Dark Michael was still alive and kicking, protected by his own wall of flames. He stared at Michael in disgust.

"Nice fire works, tough guy. Got any more tricks, punk?" Michael was really pissed now. "That's it, you're _so_ a dead man!" Michael then ran up to him and tried to punch him, only for Dark Michael to block it easily. They then locked hands and tried push each other down. The flames around them grew larger and larger as both good and dark sides add more power to increase their strength. They both looked determined to beat each other, not one of them letting up. Suddenly, the flames around them exploded. It was a big one; it was like a huge bomb just detonated. When the smoke cleared once more, one of the combatants was standing. Unfortunately, it wasn't Michael who was standing.

Dark Michael stood over his good half and spat at his feet. "You were no fun at all. I had actually thought you'd be a challenge. What a joke!" When Michael got back up to retaliate, his dark side disappeared. Tired, covered in soot, and extremely disappointed, Michael sat down and waited for the others to return. When Michael saw the looks on their faces, it told him one thing: They had lost to their dark halves as well. When they were all together again, the Four Kings stepped forward. Their students didn't look happy. "Masters, we are sorry that we failed. We tried our best to beat them, but they were just too strong. There was no way we could win!" Michael said depressingly. The Four Kings didn't show any kind of disappointment on their faces.

Mang Zhang held up his hand and shook his head. "You shouldn't be ashamed of yourselves; you all fought valiantly against your dark sides. We are pleased how you all performed against such powerful adversaries." Jade shook her head. "But we still lost." Ling Guang nodded. "Yes, but don't let that discourage you; we never expected you to defeat your dark sides on your first try. Slytankhamen I certainly didn't." Michael retorted. "Stop comparing my ancestor to me or my friends got it? We are not like him!" Zhi Ming silenced him. "We are not comparing you to anyone; do not take it as an insult young one." Michael reluctantly nodded and stayed quiet.

Jian Bing spoke next. "We know how discouraged you all must be, but don't give up. There is still time for you finish what you started before Neyla begins the ritual." Prince came forward. "Master Jian Bing, how can we possibly beat our dark halves in just a few days?" The White Tiger answered calmly. "There is a way to defeat them, but you must discover that on your own. I will give you one hint though; it was the one thing you haven't used against them today." Michael and the others looked confused by that hint. Mang Zhang spoke up again. "For the rest of the day, we want you to think about what you did not use against your dark sides. When you all have the answer, meet us on the training grounds tomorrow morning at 7:00 am. Good day, young ones."

The gang spent the remainder of the day trying to figure out what they didn't do in their separate fights, but nothing came to mind. While everyone was having dinner, nobody said a word. To break the silence, Murray tried to get the others to laugh. "Hey, uh, I know a good joke. What did the strawberry say to the pound cake?" No one answered. "The strawberry said, "If we work together, maybe we can make a short cake. Ha, ha, ha, ha! Get it?" Everyone stared at Murray. "Tough crowd. Come on guys, strawberries plus pound cake equals strawberry short cake! If that's not a good joke I don't know what is." Michael smiled and patted his uncle's shoulder.

"It's alright Uncle Murray; we're just not in the mood for laughing." "Don't worry guys; all of you have done great so far. I know that you figure out how to beat your dark sides." Bentley said encouragingly. Panda King nodded. "We are confident that you will find the answer. Never give up." "Thanks Panda King." Michael's team said in unison. As Michael at his steak, he was thinking just how funny Murray's joke was. Maybe if he was in a better mood, he would have laughed. _'Man, what joke he made up. "If we work together, maybe we can…we can…'_ That's when it hit him like a bolt of lightning. He got up and got everyone's attention.

"Hey guys! I know how we can beat our dark halves!" They all looked at him, surprised. "What is it Michael?" Jade asked. Michael then looked at Murray. "Actually, it was Uncle Murray who helped me figure it out." The hippo looked stunned. "I did?" Michael nodded. Yeah, you sure did. That joke you just said gave me the answer." "And what was the answer?" Prince asked. "Tell us Michael." Sarah insisted. Smiling broadly, Michael gave the answer to beating the team's dark sides:

"Teamwork!"


	23. Chapter 23 Rematch

Hi. Today its Good guys versus their dark halves, second round! Will our team succeed this time? Enjoy!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 23- Rematch

Higher Plane; Fortress of Kings. Day 12, 7:00 am: Michael and the gang stood in front of the Four Kings once more. "Good morning young ones. Have you figured out how to defeat your dark sides?" Mang Zhang asked. The whole team nodded. "Oh yeah, we sure did." Michael answered enthusiastically. The kings smiled. "Well then, let us see if you have thought right." They waved their hands and the team's dark halves appeared again, and they looked as nasty looking as ever. Michael's team looked determined to win this time. "Are ya ready for another round of butt kicking?" Dark Michael asked his counterpart. Michael smirked. "The only butts that are going to get kicked are yours and your dark pal's!" Michael replied. "If everyone is ready…begin!" Jian Bing commanded.

Both teams split up again, but this time not individually. Last night, Michael and the gang discussed how they were going to fight their dark halves using teamwork. They had worked it out: They will split into pairs and each one will take on a dark half of their team. Once both pairs defeat their dark sides, they will concentrate on the remaining two. "I hope that this plan works, Michael." Sarah said as she and Michael went after Dark Sarah, while Jade and Prince went after Dark Prince. "I sure hope this works too!" Michael replied. Dark Jade and Dark Michael were puzzled by their good halves' actions. "Why aren't Jade and Michael coming after us?" Dark Jade asked. Dark Michael shrugged.

"Who knows? Anyway, they have to come for us sooner or later. You head back to the lake while I go to the desert." Dark Jade nodded as they split up to their designated battle fields. At the windy hilltop, Michael and Sarah stood before Dark Sarah. She seemed as arrogant as last time. "I see; you are so weak that you have to rely on your pathetic friends to bail you out!" Sarah growled. "I have no problem with friends." Sarah said. "Enough, let's get this over with." Dark Sarah said as she made the first move. After all three have activated their orb powers, Dark Sarah went airborne and fired a wind disc at each of her opponents. Sarah flew up to avoid hers, while Michael blocked it with his fired covered cane.

Miffed, Dark Sarah launched a tornado at Michael, who just shot a huge burst of flames from his hands to blow that tornado apart. Michael was smiling. "Surely you can do better than that?" Dark Sarah was becoming more agitated. "I have not begun to fight!" Dark Sarah then flew down towards Michael with intent on beating him to a pulp, but then Sarah flew down and hit her dark half with a powerful wind gust. While she was still dazed, Sarah launched a tornado of her own and caught her dark half in it. Dark Sarah, unable to defend herself in time, began to swirl around and around. "This is not over yet!" "On the contrary, it is over!" Michael yelled as he used his fire energy to jump on top of the tornado and threw an enormous fireball at her.

Dark Sarah couldn't do a thing as the fireball hit her, followed by a huge explosion. Michael and Sarah covered their eyes. When they looked up, they saw that Dark Sarah was falling to the ground, and landed very hard. Before Michael and Sarah could celebrate, Dark Sarah got back up. She was burned and shaking really bad. Michael and Sarah couldn't believe she survived an assault like that. "No way! How could she live through that?!" Michael asked. Breathing hard, Dark Sarah replied in a rasp voice. "I cannot be finished off so easily. It is time to finish this!" She then conjured up the biggest tornado ever seen. Michael and Sarah looked at each other and nodded.

They then used their powers together; Sarah created her most powerful tornado and Michael added his fire to it to increase its power ten fold. "Let's do it!" Michael said as both himself and Sarah used their power to push their flaming tornado against Dark Sarah's. The fire enhanced tornado easily bashed through it and pulled Dark Sarah into it. "Nooooo! Arrrgggghhhhh!" She could not do a thing as the both the searing winds and the scorching flames in the tornado were beating her up big time. Michael then clapped his hands together, which caused the tornado to explode. It was much bigger than the previous one. Once more, Dark Sarah fell to the ground. Only this time, she did not get back up. "You win." Dark Sarah said before she vanished.

Michael and Sarah smiled and did a high five. "Awesome, we did it!" Michael said. "We sure did; it seems your plan is working so far." Sarah said. Michael nodded. "It sure seems that way. Now come on, let's get back with Prince and Jade." The nomad nodded as they ran to rejoin their friends against the other dark counterparts.

At the mountains, Jade and Prince had cornered Dark Prince. They had summoned their elemental powers. "You think just because you have one of your friends here to help you, that you actually have a chance at defeating me? Ha! I think not!" Dark Prince then started the fight with launching boulders at them. Jade and Prince dodged in opposite directions. "Are you alright?" Jade asked. The young wolf nodded. "Yes, but you are at a disadvantage; there is no water anywhere in this place." Jade smiled. "Maybe not on the ground…" Before she could elaborate, Dark Prince attacked again with an incoming avalanche. Prince raised a rock wall to shield Jade from the assault. "Thanks Prince, that was close." He nodded. "We need a plan of attack." Jade had a plan already.

"I got an idea. Do you think you could keep your dark half busy for a few minutes?" Prince nodded. "Good, because that will be all the time I need." Dark Prince was growing impatient. "This is no fun! Aren't any of you going to fight back?" Prince sneered. "Yes…I am!" He then formed his earth armor and a small army of rock soldiers and went on the attack. Dark Prince smirked. "Two can play at this game!" He mimicked Prince's moves and fought back with an army of his own. The two armies clashed as rock soldiers slowly beat themselves into pebbles. Their leaders were busy trying to slash each other with their crystal swords. As the battle continued, the sky was getting clouded, particularly above where Jade was standing with her arms raised…

Prince and Dark Prince had just punched each other in the chest, causing their armors to break apart and fall to the ground. They got back up, ready for more. "It is futile; you couldn't beat me before and there is no way you can beat me now!" Dark Prince said as he prepared to cause another avalanche. "Last time he fought you, he was alone! This time he's got me to help him out!" Jade yelled as she threw her arms down. Confused, Dark Prince looked up. The sky was covered in dark clouds, and rain was starting to fall. He laughed. "You call this an attack; a little rain?" The panther shook her head. "It's just a warm up." Jade then turned to Prince.

"Prince, I think you should get to higher ground, now!" Prince, suspecting what might be coming, took her advice and teleported himself to the top of a tall mountain. Good thing he did; the rain was starting to get heavier. A few seconds later, heavy rain was replaced by tons of water falling down right on Dark Prince. Caught of guard, he was slammed by all of the falling water. As hard as he tried, he couldn't get back up. Soon, the whole canyon was flooded. Prince was worried about Jade, for she had not resurfaced. Just then, Jade jumped out of the water filled canyon and landed gracefully. Prince was relieved. "I am glad you are alright." Jade nodded. "Me too, but there was no worry; I can breathe underwater, remember?" Prince nodded sheepishly.

"What about my dark side?" Jade then returned her attention to the water. "I'll bring him out. When you see him, hit him with the biggest piece of rock you can throw at him." Prince smiled. "Got it." Jade then raised her arms again and lifted a giant frozen bubble from the canyon. Dark Prince was trapped in it. He was the one at a disadvantage now; being trapped in that bubble, he could not command the earth. Jade turned back to Prince. "Ready?" Prince nodded as a 10 ton boulder hovered above him. "Now!" Jade commanded. Prince then threw the boulder and hit the ice bubble, which shattered and smacked Dark Prince hard. Dark Prince landed hard back on solid earth, and then the boulder feel on top of him, crushing him.

All that could be seen was his left hand. It was struggling to move, but then it fell down. It then disappeared, along with the rest of him. Jade and Prince smiled at each other. "Yes, we are triumphant! Thank you for your help Jade." Jade nodded. "No problem; friends always got each other's backs, right?" Prince nodded too. "That is indeed true. Let us join up with Michael and Sarah." "I couldn't agree more." They then moved to meet up with their buddies.

Near the lake where Dark Jade was waiting, the team met up. They all looked happy. "Jade, Prince, we did it! Dark Sarah is no more, thanks to the combined efforts of me and Michael." Sarah said. "Yeah, it was definitely easier to fight as a team than as individuals. What about you two?" "Dark Prince has been vanquished." Prince answered proudly. "Jade was incredible back there." Jade smiled. "With us working together, Dark Prince was all washed up and crushed…literally." They all laughed. "Sweet, that just leaves Dark Jade and Dark Michael. Who shall we go after next?" Michael asked. "Why don't we split up into different pairs this time? Sarah and I will go after Dark Jade, while you and Prince go after Dark Michael." Jade suggested. Everyone agreed with the plan. "Cool that will work. Let's move out!" They split into the designated pairs and ran after their next targets.

Michael and Prince arrived at the desert where Dark Michael was waiting. He was surprised that his good half didn't come alone. "Now you really disappoint me. You are so weak that you had to have one of your pals come to hold your hand. How pathetic!" Michael retorted. "You wouldn't understand, since you don't have friends!" Dark Michael fired himself up, literally, by covering his body with fire. "Okay Michael, time for round 2!" Michael covered himself in flames as well. Prince used his Earth power to reassemble his rock armor. "Hey Prince, you ready?" Prince smiled. "I am ready when you are Michael." Michael then charged at his dark half with incredible speed, with Prince right behind him.

Michael first punched Dark Michael in the gut; however Dark Michael caught it just in time. He sneered as he grabbed his other arm and held them both behind Michael. Michael yelled in pain. "Come on big shot, the same moves are not going to work with me!" "Then let me try a move of my own!" Prince said as he punched Dark Michael in the face and flew out of sight. "Are you alright Michael?" Prince asked. "Yeah, my arms a little sore, but they'll heal. Now I know how Uncle Murray felt when Muscles twisted his arm." They turned to face Dark Michael again, only to find that he was not around. "That was some uppercut you hit him with! He must have landed miles away!" Prince shook his head. "Not as far as you think. I saw the direction he was flying; he was headed for the lake." Immediately they ran to the lake where the others were.

At the lake, Jade and Sarah arrived to kick Dark Jade's butt. She raised her eyebrows slightly at the sight of Sarah. "I didn't expect you to bring your feather headed pal with you. Oh well, it just gives me another loser to nail!" Once their orb powers were activated, Jade ran on the water to confront her dark half again. Sarah flew high above them, waiting for the right moment to intervene. "Losers go first!" Dark Jade said at her good half. Jade attacked at once with two giant water fists that proceeded to beat the living daylights out of her. Dark Jade was prepared with a powerful bubble shield; neither of Jade's water fists could break through no matter how hard they were hitting.

"Nice, but futile. Haven't you figured out yet that you can't beat me?" Jade smiled. "I know I can't beat you…at least not on my own." She then nodded at Sarah; this was the signal she had been waiting for. Sarah soared downwards very fast. At the last second, she pulled up sharply near Dark Jade. Her rapid decent combined with a huge burst of speed caused a sonic boom to erupt in the entire area. It was so powerful that it shattered Dark Jade's bubble shield. Not only that, but it also knocked her off her feet and onto dry land. Jade submerged beneath the water just in time to avoid the sonic boom's effects on the surface. When she resurfaced, she was satisfied to see that her dark side is flat on her back with her hands on her ears.

"Owww! That really hurt!! Make the pain stop! Make it stop!!" she yelled. Jade smirked. "Be careful what you wish for…" She used her water fists again to pound Dark Jade further into the ground. Dark Jade was in too much pain and to far from the water to protect herself this time. The fists slammed her at least 10 times before Jade finally relented. Sarah landed gracefully beside her to better observe the damage. Dark Jade lay there, battered and beaten. After one twitch from her head moving, she vanished. Happy that another dark counterpart had been defeated, Jade and Sarah yelled in victory. "Now that was some serious Girl Power!" Jade said. Sarah laughed. Before they could do anything else, something crashed a few feet from them.

Upon close inspection, they saw that it was Dark Michael. He was bruised a lot and his jaw was bleeding. Jade and Sarah were shocked to see him here. "How did he get here?" Sarah asked. Jade shrugged. "Beats the heck out of me." Dark Michael moaned in pain and held his head as he tried to stand up straight. "Oh man, that really hurt. When I get my hands on those two, I'll…" He stopped when he noticed Jade and Sarah. "Well, if it isn't the cheerleaders. I guess I'll have to settle for you two until my goody to shoes half finds me!" He fired himself up again and threw a giant fireball at the girls. Taken off guard by his appearance, they could not react in time to defend themselves. Luckily, before the fireball hit them, a wall of earth appeared and blocked the attack.

Dark Michael turned around to see his good side and Prince, ready to pick up where they left off. "Are you girls alright?" Prince asked. "Yes, thanks for asking." Jade answered. "We have just defeated Dark Jade, and then _he_ showed up." Sarah replied while pointing at Dark Michael. Michael smiled. "Great news; he's the only one left!" Dark Michael looked around, sneering all the while. "So, the gang's all here. This is just my lucky day!" he said sarcastically. He prepared himself for another strike. "Everyone, concentrate all your attacks on Dark Michael! It's time to bring him down!" Michael yelled. Before anyone moved, Dark Michael raised a wall of fire and spread it across the area. He was hoping to burn the team alive in desperation.

"I may be outnumbered, but not overpowered!" The wall was spreading fast towards our heroes. Quickly, they each put up a strong defense: Michael had put up his own powerful fire wall; Jade used the nearby lake water to form her bubble; Prince had formed a crystal barrier; and Sarah had used a strong burst of wind to blow away the flames coming her way. When the fire was gone, everyone was still standing without any damage. However, the same could not be said about Dark Michael. He was practically out of energy as his fire started to die down. He was badly hurt and exhausted. "Damn! I can't believe that didn't work!" He became very worried now as the team began to make their final assaults.

"Guys, let's finish this!" Michael yelled. "Uh-oh." Dark Michael said, knowing what was coming. Sarah started off with a tornado that sucked up Dark Michael and took him for a big spin. He was twirling so fast that he thought he might get sick. "Put me down!!" he yelled. "As you wish!" Sarah said as she commanded the tornado to spit out Dark Michael. Unfortunately, he was heading directly at Prince. Smiling, he had put on crystal armor and punched him hard in the stomach. Yelling in pain, Dark Michael flew towards Jade. "You look like you could use a drink!" She then hit him with a huge blast of water, causing even more damage. Dark Michael landed back on the ground waterlogged and weak. When he lifted his head up, he saw Michael staring down, smirking.

"Now it's time for big finish!" Michael then flared up again, then picked up his dark half by the neck and punched him hard in the face. The immense power in that punch flew Dark Michael nearly 20 ft from the lake. He landed a wet, burnt, beaten up piece of trash. "Damn…you got me (cough)." Dark Michael managed to say before he too vanished. After the gang had powered down, they regrouped and rejoiced. "Yeah!! We did it! We've beaten our dark sides!" Michael yelled while picking up Jade and twirling her around a bit before putting her back down and hugging her. "We sure did Michael, we sure as hell did!" Prince and Sarah hugged them and yelled in joy too.

"Outstanding job, young ones!" The gang turned around to see the Four Kings approaching them. It was Mang Zhang who just spoke. "You all have done what we hoped you would: You have used your individual powers together to defeat overpowering enemies. You 4 have done what 1 could not. We are very proud you today." The team smiled broadly from his praise. "Thanks masters, it sure was a lot easier beating our dark sides when worked as a team." Michael said. Jian Bing spoke next. "Of course, that was the whole point of the final step; to know how to use your powers together to combat evil. You young ones have done it with honors." As the gang continued to smile, the tiger coughed a little. "However, we have a confession to make."

"What confession?" Sarah asked. Zhi Ming answered her. "Using your elemental powers in perfect teamwork was the real final step for your training. We simply used your dark sides as the ultimate way for you to complete that step." The team was dumbstruck. "Why did you lie to us?" Jade asked. Ling Guang stepped up. "To be honest, we wanted you to figure it out on your own. And don't complain about what you have achieved." The gang then understood. Mang Zhang spoke up again. "Pat yourselves on the back. All 4 of you have now mastered the Elemental Orb…and are now ready to fight Neyla and save the world." _'And my parents too.'_ Michael thought as they all headed back to the fortress to celebrate the completion of their training.


	24. Chapter 24 Plans and Revelations

Hey guys! Sorry for not posting last week; I felt a little lazy and decided to relax a bit. But now I'm back with the next chapter! I think you will like this! Enjoy!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 24- Plans and Revelations

Higher Plane; Fortress of Kings. Day 13, 10:00 am: Michael and the gang had just finished breakfast and were beginning to discuss a plan of attack on Neyla. The Four Kings were also present for the discussion. As usual Bentley was the big planner. "Okay guys, after analyzing all the info about Neyla, Dr. M and the castle I have come up with an attack plan to stop them and save Sly and Carmelita." "Great, so what's the plan?" Michael asked. Bentley explained with his old slid show projector. "As you all know, Neyla plans to make herself ultra powerful thanks to the Immortal Crown and the power of the gods she has captured. Dr. M is building a machine to collect the energy pulse resulting from the planetary alignment and the life force of the intended sacrifices to ensure the crown's stolen power remains inside it." Michael felt a pain in his stomach after hearing the sacrifice part.

Bentley continued. "According to the Four Kings, the ritual will begin precisely at 3:00 pm tomorrow afternoon. That is also the time the planets will reach full alignment. Michael and his team must infiltrate the castle, find and free Sly and Carmelita, and destroy the crown before that time. Otherwise, we can pretty much kiss our friends and the world goodbye." He then began to lay out the blueprints of the castle he printed from his satellite camera. Everyone got closer to observe it. "I call this Operation: Pull the Immortal Plug. First, I will teleport Michael and his team right outside Neyla's castle. I can't teleport you all inside because of all the magical interference. There are some creepy looking guards watching pretty much every spot in and around the place. Luckily I found some rocks to hide you guys behind when I teleport you there." Sarah spoke up.

"I can use my Air power to create a thick cloud of fog to hide us when we approach the castle; no one will be able to see us and we can knock out the guards easily." Bentley smiled. "Good idea Sarah, that sounds like the perfect way to sneak in. After breaking inside, you will have to divide into pairs; I have objectives that will get the job done." He pointed to the room where Dr. M's lab is. "Prince and Michael need to break into Dr. M's lab and smash the place! It is there that the power source for the energy collecting machine is located. Dr. M usually takes a lunch break around 2:10 pm and leaves the lab unsupervised. Take it out while he is away and the machine will be powerless." "Meaning that Neyla and Dr. M can't use it to collect the energy they need!" Michael said excitedly. The turtle nodded. "That's right; no power for the machine means there will be no way for the ritual to commence!

"Meanwhile, Jade and Sarah will need to find the instructions for the ritual and destroy them. I have been monitoring Neyla these past few days and have pretty much memorized her pattern. Every day, Neyla will admire the crown and study the ritual instructions in the early mornings. In the afternoons she will keep the crown with her, but will leave the instructions hidden in her chamber beneath her bed mattress. She then practices her godly powers for several hours before returning to her chamber for a good night sleep. She will occasionally visit Sly and Carmelita in their cell btw those times, which I'm sure will give you girls plenty of time to find and destroy the instructions. She plans to make one last visit with them around 2:30 pm before strapping them down on that stretch table for the ritual, which will be your window. With those plans gone, no one will ever attempt the ritual again."

"I think we can handle that." Jade said confidently. "I agree." Sarah said. "Good, once you all complete your objectives, you will need to rendezvous near the dungeon. When Neyla leaves from there, move in to bust out Sly and Carmelita. Once they're free, get them outside and I'll teleport them here where they will be safe. After that, you guys will go back in and finish the job. This is the toughest part of the operation: Fight and defeat Neyla once and for all! You guys will definitely need to use your elemental powers together to beat the snot out of her. Remember, without the ritual the crown's contained power will be temporary. If you guys can keep Neyla at bay long enough, the crown will lose all the magic it has collected, rendering Neyla mortal once more. With the captured gods freed, Neyla will be a wimp compared to you guys!

"When she's normal again, it will be easy to knock her out. Dr. M shouldn't be a problem. Once they are both out cold, throw them outside so I can zap to the best prison facility on the planet! Any questions?" Murray raised his hand. "What about me and Panda King? What can we do to help?" Bentley took a moment to think it over. "I got it. While Michael and the others are busy with Neyla, you two can go after Dr M. It will be tough enough to battle someone who has the power of 3 gods. Battling both Neyla and Dr. M might be a bit overwhelming for the team." Murray pumped his fist in the air. "Yes! Finally some action! My arm has finally healed from my fight with Muscles, and "The Murray" is ready to throw down!" "I have been itching for some combat myself for some time; I agree with this plan Bentley." "Thank you guys. Are there other questions?"

No one answered this time. Bentley nodded in approval. "Then it is settled. We will begin Operation: Pull the Immortal Plug tomorrow at 2:00 pm on the dot! You guys better use all the time you got left to warm up for your big battle with Neyla." Michael and his team nodded. "Don't worry Uncle Bentley, we'll be ready. Right guys?" "Yeah!" they said in unison. Michael and the team then went out onto the training grounds again for some last minute preparation for the ultimate battle.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Castle on Mount Everest, 10:00 am: Sly and Carmelita just finished some soup that didn't have much flavor but was filling. They were holding each other. The couple knew that whatever Neyla planned to do, it will take place tomorrow. "Sly, I'm scared. We have been trapped in here for almost two weeks and no one has come to find us. I wish we knew that Michael was alive." Sly kissed her cheek and smiled. "So do I, but things don't seem to be looking up for us." He lowered his head. "To be honest, I'm starting to doubt if Michael is alive at all." Carmelita stared at him. "Ringtail, you were the one who told me that you felt he was still alive. If you believe it, then so do I." Sly smiled at his wife. "Thanks Carmelita, guess I needed that."

"I also wish we could survive to raise our next baby when it is born. But since we are not going anywhere anytime soon, I doubt we will live long enough to see that wonderful day." She hugged him tightly. "I know we are not having luck, but I still believe a miracle can happen at the last minute." Sly and Carmelita smiled, hoping that miracle will happen soon. "Miracles huh? In the real world, miracles never happen." Sly and Carmelita broke up to see their least favorite people on the planet: Neyla and Dr. M. "Hello old friends, nice day isn't it? Of course, these days haven't been nice for you, have they?" The robotic simian said without care. The couple snarled. "If you two got nothing nice to say, then beat it!" Sly said angrily.

They sniggered at their prisoners. "Oh don't be so grumpy Sly; we just want to have another chat with you before the ritual tomorrow." "What the hell _is_ this ritual?" Carmelita asked. "None of your bee's wax!" Neyla smacked Dr. M in the back of the head. "Hey, what was that for?!" The tigress looked annoyed. "For being so rude to our prisoners. They are not going to live much longer so I think it is time that we give them the answers they want so badly." Neyla finished with an evil smirk. Dr. M smiled and nodded. "Fine, if you insist." Sly and Carmelita got up and stared at Neyla with an intense stare. "So my old friends, which questions do you wish to ask me?"

Sly knew instantly which question to ask first. "How did you survive that battle years ago when you took over Clockwerk's body? You should have perished along with him when Carmelita crushed the Hate Chip." Neyla smirked. "I figured you were going to ask me that first." She paused for a moment before she answered. "I survived because some of the energy from the Hate Chip was transferred to my body while I was Clockla. That energy was enough to keep me alive and young for the next several years." Sly and Carmelita gasped in shock. "Yes, it is true. I became immortal before your friends removed the Hate Chip from the Clockwerk body. When Clockwerk exploded and then dissolved, I slipped away without being spotted. I went into hiding for the next decade, planning my revenge on you two."

The couple was stunned to hear that their old enemy had gotten away right under their noses. Carmelita had a question of her own. "Is this place where you have been hiding all this time?" Neyla shook her head. "No, I was hiding in an underpaid bar in Cairo. I hid there for years trying to keep my face from the eyes of the public, while thinking of how I can get back at you for ruining my plans for world conquest." "What is the deal with this ritual?" Sly asked next. Neyla chuckled. "I was hoping you were going to ask that one. About a month before I showed up at the Paris museum, I overheard one of the bar customers talking about a "powerful headband" he and a team of his found a few days ago."

"Would that be the same headband you had stolen at the museum?" Sly asked. Neyla nodded as she pointed to the crown on her head. "Yes indeed. This headband or the Immortal Crown as it was named was created by Loki, the Norse God of Mischief. That guy mentioned that the legend behind the crown was that Loki had created it to capture and seal the three most powerful gods in existence: Zeus, Odin, and Ra. He seemed extremely nervous talking about it, like he was afraid of it." "Hold up, that thing you are wearing has magic?" Carmelita asked incredulously. The tigress nodded again. "Right again, old comrade. I currently have all 3 gods, trapped in each of the jewels on the crown. With them trapped, their power is mine to command!"

Sly and Carmelita could not believe any of this. "That sounds like a lot of hogwash to me." Sly said. Neyla snorted. "It may be hogwash to you, but I assure you it is all very real. This crown also has the power to teleport me to where I can find each of the gods and take their power for myself, which of course I did." "What does that crown of yours have to do with this ritual you are planning?" Carmelita demanded. "Oh yes, I haven't gotten to that part yet have I? Now where was I? Oh yes, I was overhearing that archeologist talking about the crown. He also mentioned a ritual to keep the power the crown would steal for all eternity. You see, the crown becomes active every 300 years and the power that it steals will only be in it temporarily.

"If the ritual was performed on the day that the planets are perfectly aligned, then the power will stay in it permanently. He also mentioned that the planets were lining up that very day and they will form a perfect line in one month. On that day, I found out how I can get the power I long desired and get my revenge." Neyla paused to catch her breath, and then continued. "When he stepped out of the bar, I caught him and forced him to tell me where the crown was and how the ritual could be performed. Unfortunately, he said that the crown was already on a plane to the museum in Paris for display and he didn't know how the ritual was done.

"Frustrated, I asked him to take me where the crown was found. He led me to a tomb beneath the Great Pyramid of Giza, where we found a mummy in old sarcophagus. The man said that they found the crown lying in the mummy's hands when they opened it, but decided to take the crown and not disturb the mummy. He was very superstitious. I asked him to search the sarcophagus more thoroughly to find more information about the ritual. With close inspection he discovered writing on the on the inside of the sarcophagus's lid. I asked him if he could read that. That coward said yes and said they were instructions to perform the ritual, but he refused to tell me. Stubborn, I slit his throat and used his camera to take a picture of the ancient writing. I knew that in order to succeed in my plan, I had to steal the crown and find someone to translate the instructions. That was where my partner, Dr. M, came in." Neyla nodded at the doctor.

Still stunned by all this, Sly asked how Dr. M survived that cave in back on the island. The cybernetic ape laughed. "Oh yes, that was an astounding feat, wasn't it? You see before you and your pathetic gang arrived on my island, I invented a cyborg body for myself and connected my mind with its artificial brain. It was designed that if anything should happen to me, all the memories and data from my head would be transferred to it and activate it. Sure enough, after that struggle in the Inner Sanctum of the Cooper Vault, I awakened to find myself in my robotic form. I was stronger and faster than I ever was before. However, I discovered that my fortress was all but destroyed. Luckily I built a back lab beneath the island in order to continue my work.

"Even though the vault had caved in on itself, I was still determined to claim its vast riches. I was working on a method to clear away all the rocks blocking the entrance when I had an unexpected visitor: Neyla." Neyla took over from there. "I found him by hacking into Interpol's recent sightings on Sly and discovered that he was on the island containing the Cooper Vault, where the doctor's fortress was built on. I stole a boat and rode towards the island. I read of his brilliance and realized that he was the person I was looking for. I knew that if anyone could translate the instructions to the ritual, it would be him. I was surprised to see that his fortress was demolished, buried under tons of rock. I then found a secret door around the rubble and moved in. That was when I found him in his current form."

"She told why she came to find me and asked me to translate the writing for her." Dr. M said. "I asked her why I would bother when I had plans of my own. Neyla then said that if I helped her, I could gain riches beyond what the Cooper Vault could offer. Plus, she would help me get my revenge on the ones who forced me to live in this shell…you!" He pointed at Sly and Carmelita. "She promised me wealth and vengeance if I cooperated, which of course I did; how could I refuse such an offer? I then translated the instructions and discovered that in order to perform the ritual; it would have to take place in a castle located on Mount Everest, which we are in right now. Then I would have to build a machine to collect the energy pulse from the planet alignment that was coming up in one month and transfer it into the crown.

"I also found out, and to my great pleasure, that the machine would need to suck out the life force of two hated enemies. And guess what you fools? That's where _you_ come into the picture!" He and Neyla laughed insanely. Sly and Carmelita felt like they were in hot water now. Neyla resumed the story. "Once we made our deal and learned what to do, we got to work. We spent the next month moving all of Dr. M's equipment and research and moved them to this castle. We got here using a couple of jet packs he invented a while back. We worked long and hard to get everything ready for the Day of Armageddon. After we got settled in, Dr. M immediately got to work on building the machine that will do the job using blueprints on the instructions. While he was busy, I used his computer to find you two.

"I hacked into Interpol's records again, and discovered with shock that you two got married and both worked in Interpol together! I was very surprised to find that information. Still, I was glad to know where I could find you; in your home of Paris. One week before I appeared at the museum, I asked Dr. M to give me some devices to knock out the security systems in the museum so I can steal the Immortal Crown. The plan was that I steal the crown, arrive on your doorstep and take you both down by surprise. The moment I was about to steal the crown, policemen started showing up. That's when I learned that the devices didn't work on the silent alarms, alerting every cop in Paris. Fortunately, that worked to my advantage. You two showed up right where I wanted you." Neyla finished with an evil smile.

Sly and Carmelita couldn't believe all this; it was completely absurd. "Now everything is in place for the ritual tomorrow. Dr M. here just told me that the machine was ready to use. Tomorrow, you both shall be sacrificed to allow the crown to keep its power forever! The world shall be mine! And the best part is that no one, absolutely _no one_ knows what will happen here…except for you two." Sly and Carmelita looked horrorstruck about the whole ordeal. "Neyla you psychopath, you won't get away with this!" Carmelita yelled. Neyla shrugged. "I already have, Carmelita, I have indeed." She then turned to leave. "Come Dr. M, let's leave them alone for the last time until the moment they die!" "I'm right behind you partner!" They laughed coldly as they left. Sly and Carmelita looked at each other with looks of complete despair.

"Still believe in miracles, Ringtail?" Carmelita asked as she looked at her husband's face. Sly looked shaken, but still sounded stern. "Yeah, I do. I have to admit, this is the worst jam we have ever gotten ourselves into. No matter what happens though, I still love you Gorgeous." His wife smiled. "And I still love you Ringtail." They then kissed passionately, perhaps for the last time, not knowing that help is indeed on the way…


	25. Chapter 25 Disrupted Agenda

Hey. Its time for our favorite team to bust up Neyla's plans! Enjoy!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 25- Disrupted Agenda

Higher Plane; Fortress of Kings. Day 14, 1:58 pm: Michael and his team were ready to be transported to Neyla's castle. They had their uniforms on, their elemental powers were at their peak, and they could not be more confident in their mission. Before the team stepped into the _Deliverer_, the Four Kings appeared. "Young ones, are you ready to leave for final battle?" Mang Zhang asked. They all nodded. "We sure are. I have been waiting for this for weeks!" Michael said. "We all are Mang Zhang." Jade said. "Good, before you go I suggest you take these." Jian Bing said as he and the other kings held out what looked like masks. They were the same colors as Michael's team's uniforms.

"What are those masks for?" Prince asked. Zhi Ming smiled. "These are the final pieces of your uniforms. We planned to give these to you once you've completed your training. The masks are a sign that you are all full fledged elemental users. We could not be more proud of you. Take these masks and fulfill your destinies." Michael and the others thanked them as they took their masks and put them on. They covered their entire faces; only their eyes could be seen. You couldn't tell it was them from a glance. "Hey Uncle Bentley, how do we look?" Bentley smiled. "You guys look like a force to be reckoned with. Now move into the transporter so that we can begin. Murray and Panda King will be right behind you."

Michael and the team stepped into the _Deliverer_ and waited for transport. "Good luck guys; you're going to need it." Bentley said as the team vanished in a flash of blue light. "They will succeed; I can feel it." Ling Guang said confidently. "Let's hope so. I really don't like the idea of losing them like our life long pals." Murray didn't seem worried. "Nothing bad will happen, pal. Michael and the others will break out Sly and Carmelita and give Neyla the biggest butt kicking she'll ever receive!" They laughed. Bentley patted his best friend on the shoulder. "I appreciate your confidence Murray, but I can't shake the feeling that something is going to go wrong…"

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Castle on Mount Everest, 2:00 pm: Everything was quiet on the tallest mountain in the world. All was peaceful and undisturbed, until a small blue flash appeared behind a huge pile of rocks some 10 ft from the entrance. Michael and his friends gazed at the castle with awe. "Man, this place is a lot bigger up close." Michael said. The others agreed with him. Just then, another blue flash came and with it brought Murray and Panda King. "Hey guys, ready to bash some skulls?" Murray asked. Jade shushed him. "Murray, we don't want to be noticed. So please keep it down!" she whispered. Murray nodded quickly. "Sorry Jade, I hope I didn't give us away." Sarah took a quick look at the castle while everyone else remained quiet.

There were numerous windows around the castle and there were guards at each one. There were also two guards outside the front door. However, none of them seemed to look their way. Sarah turned back to the others. "I don't think they discovered us." They all breathed easier. "That's good. Now what do you say we get our little operation under way?" Michael asked. "We are ready to proceed." Panda King responded. The rest nodded fervently. "Okay, first thing to do is to get inside Neyla's sanctuary. Sarah, care to do the honors?" Michael asked his nomad friend. "It would be my pleasure." Sarah then used her elemental power to summon an extremely thick cloud of fog that covered the whole area outside the front door.

"Everyone hold each other's hands so that we can stick together in this fog." Sarah instructed. Being the one who controls Air, Sarah is the only one who can see clearly through the fog. Once they joined hands, the group walked towards the entrance quickly. Once they arrived, Murray punched the two guards out cold. "That takes care of them!" Murray said. "Nice punch out Uncle Murray, now let's get inside." Michael said as he reached for one of the guard's keys to the door. He then inserted the key and the door opened. They marched inside the castle. "You know, it seems to be colder in here than it is out there." Prince pointed out. Jade shivered. "You're not kidding. I don't like the feel of this place at all."

"The sooner we bust out my parents and beat Neyla, the sooner we can leave. What time is it?" Panda King brought out his watch. "It is almost ten minutes after 2:00." "Then its time to move out." He turned to Prince. "Prince, let's move. Dr. M should be going to his lunch break right now, so now is the time to find and trash his lab." The wolf nodded. "Agreed, we must go at once." Michael then turned to Jade. "You and Sarah move on to Neyla's bedroom to find those instructions and rip them to pieces. We then meet up at the dungeon. Got it?" The girls nodded. "Murray and I will keep the good doctor…preoccupied to buy you more time." Panda King finished. Michael nodded. "Okay, let's do it!"

As the gang split up, Jade stopped Michael. "See you soon." Michael smiled. "You too." They removed the portions of their masks that covered their lips and kissed briefly. They then moved on to their separate objectives. Michael and Prince moved up the stairs to the lab, Jade and Sarah ran to Neyla's bedroom, and Murray and Panda King went to the lunch room to wait for their opponent to arrive.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Michael and Prince's P.O.V.: They were moving quickly through the chilly hallways on the upper levels of the castle, while avoiding the watchful eyes of the guards. A few minutes later they had arrived. The duo found the door into Dr. M's lab. Michael opened the door. He and Prince then walked inside and gazed around. There were lots of technological gizmos every inch of the place. There was Dr. M's desk, covered with papers and small metal parts. On the right hand side of the lab, there was a huge furnace looking thing which was glowing with a faint pink. The power coming from it was huge. "This must be the power core for the energy collecting machine; the heat I'm feeling from it is off the charts." Michael said holding his hand over it.

"I agree; nothing else in this lab is generating that much power." Michael and Prince then smiled at each other. "You want to start things off, or shall I?" Prince held out his hand to the rest of the lab. "After you; let's save the doctor's biggest toys for last." After agreeing, Michael covered his hands and cane in flames, while Prince covered his hands with rocks. They started to dismantle everything that they saw. Michael slashed his fiery cane at some computers, melting some and exploding the others. He then threw some fireballs with his other hand at some spare equipment that the mechanical baboon was sure to miss. Prince was punching and smashing the computers on his end. Sparks were literally flying as the machines shorted out and burst into flames after their intense pounding.

They continued this for another minute or two until there was only one item left to take out: The power core. Michael and Prince nodded each other as they launched their fire and rock covered fists at the core. The machine was squealing loudly and lots of steam was pouring out from the blows. A few moments later the core exploded, sending Michael and Prince back into a wall. They rubbed the backs of their heads as they got up. "Man that sure was a blast." Michael said jokingly. "Yes, to say the least." Prince chuckled as he looked around the now destroyed lab. A few minutes ago it was a scientist's dream lab; now it was a technological mess. Michael and Prince were really pleased with themselves.

"I can imagine the look on Dr. M's face when he finds this place in shambles!" Michael said excitedly. "Neither can I, now what do you say we meet up with the girls at the dungeon?" "I'd say let's not waste anymore time here, buddy. Let's go!" Michael said as he ran out of the lab. As Prince was moving to join him, he stepped onto some papers that were mostly burned. They mentioned something about Carmelita Fox. Curious, he picked them up and read what was not burnt off. When he finished, he gasped with surprise. "His mother is…pregnant?" Prince whispered. "Hey Prince, aren't you coming?" Michael called back from the hallway. Hastily, Prince dropped the papers.

"Yes, I'm right behind you!" he said as he moved out. "What were you doing in there?" Michael asked as they ran to the dungeon. Prince hesitated for a second. "I, uh, found another few computers that were still intact. I had to make sure they were not operational anymore." Michael nodded. "Good thing you checked. Now c'mon." As they moved, Prince thought he told a convincing lie. _'I should not be the one to tell him what I had discovered. If his parents know, they should tell him. I wonder how he'll react to the news.'_ He hoped that the others were successful in their objectives as well.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Jade and Sarah's P.O.V.: They were standing right outside Neyla's bed chamber. Jade quietly opened the door and she and Sarah walked in. Even though that they were in the private place of their biggest enemy, they got to admire her taste in style. "Gosh, Neyla must really be in the Greek mood for this type of bedroom." Jade said in amazement. "I'm really not into style, but this room looks like it is made for a queen." Sarah replied. They then proceeded to the bed, where Neyla hid the ritual instructions. "This bed looks pretty big, let's lift it together." Jade said to her comrade. "Alright, I'm with you." Both girls now have their hands underneath the mattress.

Before they could start lifting it though, they heard some footsteps heading their way. Sarah ran to the door and took a peek. She gasped in horror: Neyla was coming. She turned back to her companion. "Jade, we are about to have unpleasant company." Sarah said in alarm. "What do you mean?" Jade asked. "It's Neyla; she's heading right for us!" Jade gasped loudly. "But, but Bentley said she shouldn't be back for hours! We got to hide now!" In panic they hid in the only place they could…underneath the bed. Neyla entered the bedroom shortly after the girls had hidden themselves. They were trying very hard not to breathe loudly. Neyla then sat down on the bed, much to the discomfort of Jade and Sarah.

Neyla took off the crown and stared at it. "Ah yes, you are so beautiful aren't you? I am glad I decided to cut practicing my godly powers in half; it will give me the chance to do something…relaxing before the ritual. But what could I do?" As she thought about it, the tigress felt her bed a little lumpy. "Hmm, this bed is feeling lumpy today." She patted on the lumpy spots hard, not knowing that she was slightly squashing Jade and Sarah. They covered their mouths to not make any sound. After a moment, Neyla stopped. "Oh forget it; there will be plenty of time to fix the bed after the ritual. Now then, what can I do to relax myself?" Suddenly, Neyla came up with an idea.

"Of course, I know how I can relax." She snapped her fingers and 4 handsome male leopards appeared. Neyla gave them commands. "You on the far left and far right, rub my feet. You on the inner left, message my back. Finally, you on the inner right will rub my hands. Now get to work!" The leopards carried out their orders. While Neyla was being treated like a princess, Jade and Sarah felt very pressured…literally. "Damn, how long is Neyla supposed to be here?" Jade whispered as best she could. "She'll likely stay probably until she decides to see Sly and Carmelita." Jade groaned silently. When it was a few minutes to 2:30, she ordered her servants to stop.

"That is enough for now. You men did well; I feel totally relaxed." She then gave each of them a kiss before snapping her fingers again, making them vanish. "To bad they were not real, but as long as I have my powers I can do what I please." Neyla got off the bed and walked to the door. "Now then, to pay Mr. and Mrs. Cooper one last visit before they are sacrificed." A few moments after she closed the door behind her, Jade and Sarah crawled out and let out a breath of relief. "That was way too close." Jade said. "I couldn't agree more. Now where were we?" They got to the lifting of the mattress. "On the count of three: 1…2…3!"

The mattress was lifted high enough to see underneath it. The girls looked and saw instantly what they were looking for. "There they are! I'll get them." Sarah said as she removed one hand from the mattress and grabbed the ritual instructions. Once they put the bed back down, they looked at what they found. The instructions were at least 10 pages long. There were two copies; one in English and another in hieroglyphics in printed paper. Even though they were translated, the words were still difficult to read. "This ritual is a lot more complex than I thought they'd be." Sarah said as she showed them to Jade. "I wonder where Neyla found these." "Those symbols are Egyptian. I studied that language from one of my travels to that country." "So you're saying these instructions came from somewhere in Egypt?" Jade asked. Sarah nodded.

"That's what I was thinking." Jade thought a little bit. "If these instructions were copied from an Egyptian tomb or something, then the original inscriptions must still be there." Sarah understood what her friend was saying. "Once this is over, we'll need to find them and destroy them as well." "Speaking of destroying the ritual instructions, why don't we go ahead and get rid of these?" Jade asked. Sarah nodded. "We can't leave any remains so that Neyla could reassemble them with the crown." She then pointed at the fire place in front of the bed. "Let's burn them." Agreed, Sarah opened the grates to the fire while Jade threw them into the dancing flames. The pair watched as Neyla's precious papers went up in smoke.

"We did it; Neyla won't be able to perform the ritual now." Jade said as she and Sarah did a high-five. "Our objective is complete. Now we must move to the dungeon." Sarah said. "I couldn't agree more." Jade replied as she and Sarah walked to the door. Once they saw that the coast was clear, they headed straight for the dungeon.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Michael and Prince were waiting right outside the entrance to the dungeon, waiting for Sarah and Jade to show up. "What's taking them so long? It can't take that much time to get rid of some papers." Michael was forced to speak in whispers; Neyla was still down there. Luckily, she had just gone there when the guys arrived. "Don't worry; I'm sure they are fine." Just as he said it, he saw them coming up quickly. "They're here!" he said as he pointed behind Michael. Jade and Sarah skidded to a halt. "Ssshh, Neyla is down their right now." Prince whispered. The girls nodded. "Hey guys, sorry we were late. We got held up." Jade said softly. "How were you held up?" Michael asked.

"Neyla came back earlier than we anticipated and had a personal massage session. We were hiding under her bed for half an hour before she left." "Oh man, you girls were so lucky that you didn't get caught! Did you destroy the ritual instructions?" They nodded. "They are burnt to a crisp." Jade answered. "What about the lab?" Sarah asked. "Completely demolished." Prince said proudly. "Sweet, now all we gotta do is to wait for Neyla to come out and then break out my parents!" Michael said excitedly. He had waited for this moment for so long and now it was finally here. A moment later, they heard Neyla coming up the stairs. "Everyone, grab my hands." Prince said quickly.

When Neyla came out from the dungeon, she saw no one. Though she feels that something is not right, she quickly shrugged it off. "Why should I be scared? I'm about to become all powerful forever! Absolutely nothing can stop me now." She began to walk away. "Now then, time find the ever annoying doctor to see if he is ready to proceed." Once she was out of sight, Michael and the others reemerged from the wall where they were standing in front of not to long ago. "Sweet move Prince, using your Earth power to blend us with the stones on this wall." Michael complimented. "Thanks Michael, it was one of my specialties." They then ran into the dungeon to find Sly and Carmelita.

When they arrived, they saw lots of cells. The team moved quickly to find the one that was occupied. Michael had skidded to a halt when he saw them. His mom and dad were trying to comfort each other during their so called last moments on Earth. They didn't notice Michael approaching. "Everyone, over here!" The rest of the team caught up with him. His shouting caught his parent's attention. Sly and Carmelita were stunned to see 4 colored, costumed strangers staring at them. "What the hell? Who are you, more of Neyla's knuckleheads?" Sly asked in surprise. The red man shook his head. "Nope, we're just the people that came to bust you out!"

Sly and Carmelita thought they were hearing things. Though the mask muffled Michael's voice so that his parents didn't recognize him, that didn't stop them from feeling elated. "You've come to rescue us?" Carmelita asked hopefully. The red one nodded. "You got that right. Now stand back, I'm about to make you a door." He covered himself in flames again, much to the shock of Sly and Carmelita. The red stranger put his hands together and smashed the wall down. Once the dust was clear, the red stranger approached the still shocked couple. "Holy crap! How…How did you do that?!" Sly asked in a stunned voice. The red man laughed.

"You'd be surprised at what else I can do, as well as my friends here." He pointed behind him. The other three were waiting outside the cell. "Come, we must get you out of here before Neyla discovers the damage we've done." The yellow costumed man said. They were about to leave when Sly stopped them. "What do you mean by damage?" he asked. The four strangers laughed. "Let's just say we threw a monkey wrench in Neyla's plans for ultimate power." The blue stranger said. Carmelita stepped up. "Thank you for saving us, but I think me and my husband have a right to know who our rescuers are." Sly agreed with his wife. "Yeah, just who exactly are you anyway?" The red stranger cleared his throat.

"You two don't know my buddies over there, but you sure know me." Sly and Carmelita were confused by that statement. "We do?" They said in unison. Michael then took off his mask. Sly and Carmelita had the biggest looks of shock in their lives; Carmelita actually held her hand to her heart. Michael smiled. "Hey mom. Hey dad." For a moment, neither of them moved or said anything. Then without warning they hugged their son so tight Michael thought he might suffocate. "Michael!" Michael's parents said at the same time as they hugged him. Michael hugged them back. "Oh Michael, you're alive!! I can't believe it!! You're really alive!!" Carmelita squealed as she held her son and began to cry.

"You have no idea how much we missed you son." Sly said softly to his boy. Michael was starting to cry himself. "I missed you too." Jade, Prince and Sarah smiled as the Cooper family was finally reunited. They broke the hug and Michael stared into the faces of his much missed parents. "And of course I'm alive. Why wouldn't I be?" "Neyla told us about her little skirmish with you two weeks ago." Sly answered. "We both thought you were dead." Carmelita added. Michael shook his head a little. "Oh that; well Neyla didn't see what she thought she saw." Michael then looked serious. "Now if we're done chitchatting here, I suggest we get moving." His parents couldn't agree more as they moved out of the destroyed cell and ran back to the main door, with Michael's friends right behind them.

On the way, Sly and Carmelita had tons of questions to ask their son. "How did you find us here?" "Who are those other three with you?" "What in the world are you wearing?" Those were just a few. When they got to the door, they stopped. "It's a long story and I just don't have the time to tell you." Michael's parents looked stumped. "Why not, we're getting out of here aren't we?" Sly asked his son. Michael shook his head regrettably. "Listen, you and mom are the only ones leaving right now. My friends and I have some unfinished business with Neyla." Carmelita protested at once. "No way young man! Sly and I just found out you're still alive, and we won't risk losing you again. Do you hear me?!" Michael expected her reaction and had his answer ready.

"Mom, this may be hard for you and dad to understand, but my team and I are the only ones that can stop Neyla. We have to stay behind." "Son, Neyla isn't just some other villain you can lock up behind bars. She has a crown…" "She has a crown that gives her the power of 3 gods and she plans to use it to take over the world. Yeah, we already know." Sarah finished for Sly. "How do you know all that?" Carmelita asked, astonished by her son and his friend's knowledge of the situation. "There's no time, you got go now. Once you're outside, Uncle Bentley will use his teleporter to beam you to a safe location. We will join you when this is over. Understand?" "No we don't understand! How can you or your new pals defeat someone with godlike powers?!" Carmelita shouted.

Michael protested back at his mother. "Mom, we have powerful magic of our own; we _can_ handle this. Just believe in us…believe in me." Carmelita was about to say more when Sly interrupted. "Carmelita, I know you have a hard time understanding or accepting what is going on. Hell, I'm still struggling with it myself. But I think Michael is right; they probably are the only ones that can stop her. We have to let them do this." His wife wasn't too happy to hear that. "Sly, how can you say that?! We just got Michael back and now you want to send him back into the lion's den?" Carmelita responded angrily. Sly shook his head. "No I don't want to send him back in there; that is Michael's choice. He is 15 years old; he is not a little kid anymore. We have to let him make his own choices."

"But Sly, I don't want to lose him again!" She shouted. He put his hand on her shoulder. "Neither do I sweet heart. But I believe Michael and his new friends can pull this off. What about you?" Sly asked. Carmelita stood silent for a moment, trying to decide what to do. Finally making up her mind, she gave Michael one last hug and looked right into his eyes. "I guess your father is right Michael, maybe you and your team can do this. I…I believe in you." She said in a soft voice. Michael smiled warmly. "Thanks for your vote of confidence mom, I appreciate that. I love you." Carmelita smiled back. "I love you too, honey." "So do I. Now go and kick Neyla into next week!" Sly said in agreement. Michael laughed.

"Don't worry; we will." Sly and Carmelita both said goodbye to their son again and they headed out the door. Just then, Sly hand one more question. "Hold on, what did you mean by "teleporter?" Michael?" His son laughed again. "You'll find out in a second." "Michael, when you get back, your father and I have some important news to tell you!" Carmelita shouted. "What news?" Michael asked. At that moment, Sly and Carmelita disappeared in a flash of light. Michael was happy that his parents were finally out of harm's way, but he was now curious about his mom's last words. His friends came up to him. "Your parents seem like good people." Jade said. Michael nodded at his girlfriend. "Yeah they are…" He remained transfixed on the spot where his parents stood until Prince snapped him out of it. "Michael, it is a quarter to three. We must find Neyla now." Michael nodded.

"You're right Prince. Come on guys; let's finish this once and for all!" They then ran back into the castle to confront Neyla. On the way, Michael thought about what his mother had meant. _'What kind of news could she be talking about? Is it something big? Eh, I'll find out when this is over. It can't be that big of a deal. I mean, it's not like she is going to have a baby or anything, right?'_ He was so wrapped in his thoughts that he didn't hear Prince laugh silently behind his back. He knew perfectly well what the news would be...


	26. Chapter 26 The Downfall of Neyla

I'm back. Sorry for not posting last week, but Thanksgiving can really keep you busy. Anyway, time for the moment you've been waiting for! Enjoy!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 26- The Downfall of Neyla

Fortress of Kings, 2:43 pm: Sly and Carmelita had arrived at the fortress. Needless to say, they were stunned. "Whoa, what the heck is this place?" Sly asked. "This is the Fortress of Kings, pal. You and Carmelita will be safe here." They both turned around to see Bentley, who was smiling to see them again. "Bentley! It sure is good to see you again, old pal." He approached his lifelong friend and hugged him. Carmelita did the same. "I'm glad to see you too, Bentley. But please tell us what is going on here!" Bentley remained calm. "I believe Michael and his friends have already explained the situation to you." "I meant that I want to know everything that has been happening while Sly and I were imprisoned!"

"Why don't we wait until your son returns to explain past events; after all he was at the center of it all?" Mang Zhang replied. Sly and his wife turned again to behold a light blue dragon, along with a light orange bird, a white tiger, and a black tortoise. They were even more surprised. "It is alright, we are not your enemies. We are the ones who have prepared your son and his allies to confront Neyla." "Well, I guess we'll have to along with that." Sly said. "Hey Bentley, where is Murray? Shouldn't he be with you?" Carmelita asked. "I sent him and Panda King to take care of Dr. M. We can't risk him helping out Neyla when Michael and the others fight her." "Murray and Panda King are there too?" Sly asked in surprise. "Yep, and we can watch the whole thing on my satellite camera."

Bentley showed Sly and Carmelita his laptop, where all the action was about to be shown. They stood behind Bentley as they watched…

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Castle at Mount Everest, 2:45 pm: Murray and Panda King were waiting inside the kitchen pantry for Dr. M to show up. They were looking forward to getting the drop on him. Sure enough, the baboon cyborg entered the dining room with his meal. Because he was part machine, he couldn't eat like anyone else. Instead, he had to liquefy his food, connect the container to his fuel port with a special cable, and finally suck it up. Dr. M didn't like this, but it was best he could do. The hippo and panda were about to make their move when Neyla came in. They remained silent as she spoke to the simian. "Sorry to spoil your "mealtime", but it is time to get the machine working for the ritual. So finish quickly and get back to your lab. Understand?"

"Yes, I understand." Dr. M answered annoyingly. "Good, now I will go back down to the dungeon and escort our "guests" to the Sacrificial Chamber. Let me know when you are ready." With that, Neyla walked out. Dr. M had just finished his meal rather rapidly and proceeded back to the lab. Once the place was empty, Murray and Panda King followed him, though not too closely. "Darn, we almost had him back there!" Murray whispered. "We will get him in his lab. I only hope that Michael and Prince were able to dismantle it." They remained silent as they followed the doctor. A few minutes later they've arrived at the lab, where Dr. M got the biggest shock of his life.

Nothing could describe how shocked he was. His whole lab was completely destroyed, right down to the last computer monitor. Nearly all of his paper work was burned to a crisp. None of this, however, compared to how he felt when he found the energy absorbing machine. He approached it slowly and examined it just to be sure it was still intact in anyway possible. To his great disappointment, it was not. The machine was reduced to a worthless pile of junk. Even its power core was no more. Dr. M threw his head back and screamed. "NOOOO!!! My LAB IS GONE!! HOW COULD THIS HAVE HAPPENED?!?!" "Wouldn't you like to know?" Murray said triumphantly. The upset cyborg turned around to see Murray and Panda King standing at the entrance.

His shock grew even more. "Sly's old friends, here?! That's impossible!!" "Not only is it possible, doctor, but it is real. You shall not commit anymore harm." Panda King said proudly. Dr. M became very angry. "So then it was _you_ who reduced my lab to this junk room!" They both shook their heads. "Sorry Metal head, but it was our friends who trashed your lab and not us." Murray responded. The baboon was really pissed off now. "Do you realize what you and your "friends" have done?! Years of planning, hard work, and scheming are ruined! Now you will both be torn to shreds!!" Dr. M then charged at them, ready to pound them to death. Murray threw a counter punch that sent the doctor flying into an already thrashed computer. Murray shook his fist. "Yeow, that smarts!"

Dr. M got back up, ready for more. His head was bent out of place a bit thanks to Murray, and his jaw was hanging on his right side. "You will pay for this!" His left hand opened up to reveal a small missile launcher. He launched several at the duo. Panda King smirked. "Two can play at this game!" He launched his fireworks at the incoming missiles. The explosions that followed were nothing to sneeze at as the lab was consumed with fire and smoke. The tremors of the blasts could be felt all over the castle. When at last the smoke was clear, Murray and Panda King stood over Dr. M, who was laying on the floor a complete wreck. "Nice fireworks Panda King; you sure know how to finish the job!" The panda bear laughed.

"Thank you Murray. Now Neyla will be alone when Michael and the others face her." "Yeah, I hope they will be okay." Murray said in worry. "Come, let us go meet up with them; the upcoming struggle will need to be witnessed." They both left the lab and Dr. M to rendezvous with their allies.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

Neyla had just walked into the dungeon when she felt the castle shake a little. "What was that? It can't have been an earthquake; this castle is too far up to feel any earth tremors. It certainly can't be the energy pulse; the planets won't reach perfect alignment for another 10 minutes. I better contact Dr. M." She took out her com device to communicate to him. Strangely, he did not answer. "Dr. M, I want to know what is going on! Respond at once, that's an order!" Neyla shouted. She still got no answer from him. Neyla shrugged. "Oh well, I'll check on him after the Coopers are all strapped down for the ritual." The tigress resumed her walk to the Cooper's cell.

When she finally reached the cell she screamed like a banshee; the cell was blown wide open and her prisoners were gone. Neyla was in complete shock and outrage. "No, no, no, no!!! What happened down here?! Where did Sly and Carmelita go? There was no way they could've escaped; no one in the world knew about this castle!" She clenched her fists and snarled. "When I find the ones responsible they are going to wish they _never_ messed with me!!" Neyla ran back up into the main hallway and moved towards Dr. M's lab. When she got there, she shrieked even louder than before. The lab was destroyed, including the energy absorbing machine. She then spotted Dr. M on the floor; he was blown wide open and leaking oil. Neyla slammed her fist onto the ground, more pissed than ever.

"Alright, it's official: I'm going to torture those intruders from dusk until dawn for months, maybe even years!!" She then thought of how anyone could have found and freed the Coopers and demolished the machine; the very pieces the tigress needed to perform the ritual. Neyla suddenly thought of another possible disaster. _'Whoever found this castle knew what I was planning. That is why they broke out Sly and Carmelita and destroyed my energy absorbing machine. If they knew where to find the Coopers and the machine…'_ Neyla instantly fled the lab and headed back to her bed chamber. She was hoping she was wrong, she hoped _they_ were not lost as well.

Neyla had returned to her bed chamber within seconds. To her relief, the room was exactly as she left it. "So far so good, now to check my hiding place." She lifted up the bed mattress and gasped in horror; the ritual instructions were not there. Neyla dropped the mattress and searched the whole place for them. She then noticed some paper fragments in her fireplace. Upon closer inspection, she saw that the papers she needed were burnt to ashes. Neyla screamed yet again. "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" The tigress breathed hard. "Everything I needed for the ritual, all the pieces I needed to keep my powers forever…are gone!!" Neyla got back on her feet and had a look that could make you pee in your pants.

"Whoever my enemies are, I will find them and _obliterate_ them!" Neyla then moved out of her bed chamber and saw a sign that wasn't there previously. It said: _"If you are wondering who decided to come and ruin your world domination plans, just go to the Sacrificial Chamber. We are waiting for you."_ Neyla smiled maliciously. _'Good, that saves me the trouble of finding them.'_ Neyla ran towards the Sacrificial Chamber with the utmost haste. When she got there, she beheld four people dressed in colorful ninja like outfits with masks. They were leaning on the strap table that was intended for Sly and Carmelita. The one in red, Michael unknown to her, chuckled.

"Hello Neyla, it's about time you got here. We were wondering how long we had to wait to kick your butt." Neyla chuckled herself. Her look couldn't be more evil right now. "You four have got some nerve to do what you've just done. Do you realize that by ruining my plans you have evoked my wrath?" Prince nodded. "We knew precisely what we would be up against. My friends and I could not be more prepared to defeat you." Neyla growled. "You think you fools can defeat _me_?" Neyla laughed insanely. "You haven't a chance!" "We know that the crown won't hold its captured power much longer. Once it is released, you will not be so powerful anymore." Jade said.

Neyla grunted. "Oh trust me, you four will be dead before that happens." She then used the crown's powers to create black tiger like armor around her body. Only her face was still exposed. "Are you all ready to be annihilated?" The four looked at each other and stood ready. "We sure are!" shouted Michael. Murray and Panda King had just arrived to witness the start to the final battle. "Oh man, this is going to be great! Michael and his friends will win for sure!" Murray shouted. "I hope so." Panda King responded. A few seconds later, the battle for the fate of the world began.

Neyla attacked first with a black bolt of lightning at the team, but they managed to scatter in time. Michael sent a barrage of fireballs at Neyla, which she did not expect as they severely damaged her armor. Neyla was shocked that the red man could throw fire at her. She was even more surprised that it did damage to her. "How is this possible?!" Michael chuckled. "Believe me; I'm just getting _warmed_ up." Neyla attacked him again with more lightning. Michael just put up a wall of fire which blocked her attacks. Neyla was surprised again. "Now it's my turn!" Michael shouted as he shot a huge stream of flames right his enemy. Neyla managed to vanish and reappear right behind him in time.

She grinded her teeth in frustration. "I don't know how you are doing this, but it ends now!" Neyla sent down a meteor shower that appeared out of nowhere at Michael. Neyla thought he was finished; those meteors could not be blocked. Just when it was over for Michael, a crystal shelter materialized from the ground and covered Michael just in time. Neyla's jaw dropped; the shelter didn't have a scratch. The crystals disappeared to reveal Michael once more. "Thanks pal!" Prince nodded in gratitude. "I believe it is my turn!" He smashed his hands in the floor and caused the space where Neyla was standing on to split apart. The crack stopped just when Neyla was about to fall in. She had managed to fly up and started to laugh.

"You can't stop me by making me fall in some huge crack!" Prince was smiling behind his mask. "Who said I wanted you to fall in at all?" Confused, Neyla looked down and saw a big pillar shot from the crack and hit her smack on the chin. "Aaahhh!" Neyla fumbled in the air for a few moments before regaining control. She was rubbing her chin softly; it got hit hard by that pillar... and it was actually bleeding. Neyla stared down at the yellow costumed man with the utmost hate. "That hurt…that actually hurt!" Screaming in rage she flew down towards Prince with her claws super extended. Before she could reach him, Sarah flew up and kicked her in the head.

Neyla focused on Sarah now. "Stop getting in my way!!" She flew after Sarah and tried to swipe her with her claws. However, Sarah was moving to fast for her to land a blow. "It's no use Neyla; you are in _my_ element now!" After Neyla fired another bolt of lightning, which had missed, Sarah counterattacked with several wind discs. Neyla was barely able to dodge those, not aware that Sarah's finishing blow right behind her: A huge tornado. Neyla was caught of guard and sucked in by the suction power of the tornado. Inside it, Neyla spun around and around and each spin sliced a random part of her armor, cutting her body. At Sarah's command the tornado exploded, which sent Neyla back on the ground very hard.

The impact caused a miniature crater to form where Neyla crashed. She slowly got up again and was really pissed off at this point. "I don't understand; I have the powers of the 3 most powerful gods in the world! How could I be losing?!" Neyla shouted frustratingly. "You are losing because we have something that you don't…loyal friends!" Jade shouted as she started her assault. Extracting water in the air around her, she formed a cannon in her hands and fired a humongous blast of water at Neyla. The immortal tigress was so exhausted and injured that she could not move quickly enough; she got hit squarely in the chest and smashed her into the opposite wall of the chamber.

"That water burst felt like a runaway train!" Neyla gasped as she fell on her knees. She couldn't believe this was happening; tired, injured, bleeding, soaking wet, and worst of all…overpowered and outnumbered. The four heroes approached Neyla cautiously. Neyla stared into their eyes with exhaustion. "Who the _hell_ are you all?! How could I have lost to the likes of you?!" Michael stepped a little closer to Neyla. "Do you really want to know Neyla? You may not like what you'll find out." Neyla snarled. "Show me your faces!!" she shouted in rage. Michael decided to remove his mask again…this time in front of his foe. "I don't know about my friend's faces, but I'm sure you'll recognize mine." he said confidently as he took it off.

Neyla's jaw dropped again; in fact it nearly touched the floor. Her eyes were wide with shock and she became filled up with confusion and more anger. "YOU?!?! It can't be; I destroyed you back in Athens!! There was no possible way you could've survived!! How did you escape?!" Neyla demanded. Michael laughed. "You should've known by now that you can _never_ get rid of a Cooper so easily. It's all over for you Neyla!" Michael checked his watch. "In about 20 seconds, your powers will be released and the gods trapped in that crown will be free at last." Prince kept Neyla pinned on the ground with dirt that instantly became as hard a rock while they were counting down the remaining seconds.

Meanwhile at the Fortress of Kings, everyone had been watching the whole confrontation on Bentley's satellite camera. Bentley and the Four Kings were happy that Michael and his friends had beaten Neyla, but Sly and Carmelita were totally shocked. They could not believe that their son had supernatural powers and used them to take down Neyla; it was overwhelming for them. "This is just…too unbelievable. How in the heck did Michael learn to throw fire, and since when?" Sly asked. "Oh wow, this is all just too much for me: First Neyla has godlike power, we were nearly sacrificed, Sly and I found out that we were going to have another baby, we just found out that Michael was still alive when we thought he was dead, and to top if all he has power over fire! I don't think I can take much more of this." Carmelita said while rubbing her forehead.

Bentley patted her on the shoulder. "Don't worry; everything will be back to normal in no…" The turtle paused and his mouth hung open. "Did you just say that you and Sly are going to have another baby?" he asked. The couple smiled. "Yes Bentley…I'm pregnant." Carmelita said while placing a hand over her stomach. Bentley could barely contain himself. "Holy mackerel! This is wonderful! Congratulations!" "Thanks." The Coopers both said. The Four Kings were also pleased to hear the news. "Tell me, does Michael know?" Bentley asked. "Not yet; we plan to tell him when he gets back. Man he is going to flip when he hears…" Sly stopped his sentence when he saw that Bentley's laptop just sparked and filled up with static.

"Bentley, what's wrong with your laptop?" The turtle turned back to his trusty contraption and fiddled with it. "It's _Infiltrator's_ camera…I've lost it. I can't see what is happening down there. There was some kind of strong power surge; I can't get it back up." Sly and Carmelita became worried. "Can't you still bring Michael and his team back?" Sly asked. Bentley shook his head. "No Sly, whatever this interference is it's knocked everything offline, including communications." "So they are stuck down there?!" Carmelita panicked. "I'll get to work on getting the team back. This couldn't be the work of the planetary energy pulse; it shouldn't affect my satellite. What could have caused the system to break down?" As he started to work, he felt that something was terribly wrong. _'I have a really bad feeling about this…'_

Back at Neyla's castle, Murray and Panda King had just met up with the youngsters. "That was beyond awesome guys! You four showed Neyla whose boss!" "I am extremely proud of all you, that was a well fought battle." The four smiled back. "Ah, it was nothing. It was a piece of…" Michael never said what the fight was a piece of, for the castle rocked violently. The whole place began to tremble. "Oh man, what's happening now?" Michael asked. "I have no idea!" Jade answered. Just then, they saw a huge beam of light hit the strap table, through the lens which was supposed to absorb the energy through the machine and into the crown, and finally hit Neyla.

She began to glow brightly while also screaming in pain. "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" The whole gang watched horrorstruck as Neyla began to twist and turn violently. A moment later, more light shot from her mouth and hit the center of the chamber. Neyla then collapsed and the light began to grow and take form, a form of which no one in the room has ever seen before…a tall, yellow-eyed male yeti with silver armor on his chest, arms, and legs. He had a silver helmet with two unfriendly looking horns in front. He carried a sword strung to his belt. He stared at his hands with a happy crazy look on his face. He lifted them up as he started to laugh with a mighty voice.

"HAhahahahahahahaha!! It worked!! The plan worked!! I am free again…the mighty Loki is FREE!!!" He continued to laugh like a maniac while Michael and the gang looked on in complete and utter shock. As he watched, Michael could only say one thing: "Oh man…this is _not_ good…"

To be continued…


	27. Chapter 27 Battle with a God

Hey! I bet you didn't expect that twist at the end of the previous chapter, huh? Anyway, the story is almost over; just this chapter and another one, maybe two. I hope you will enjoy my remaining chapters. Now then, onto the REAL final battle!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 27- Battle with a God

Castle on Mount Everest; 3:01 pm: Michael and the gang stood speechless as Loki was examining his surroundings with great interest. "Oh yes, I remember my old sanctuary. So many memories…" He then noticed Michael's friends and seemed mildly surprised. "Oh and who might my guests be?" Michael got his speech back. "We have our own questions. For starters, what the hell just happened? How did you get here?" Loki chuckled. "Well my young mortal, I'd be happy to explain." He cleared his throat. "You see, my Immortal Crown had more than one purpose. I designed it to not only ensnare 3 gods and use their powers, but it can also free me from any prison I was put in by those foolish and cowardly gods. All I needed was the energy pulse from the planetary alignment."

Everyone was shocked. "You used the crown to free yourself!?" Jade shouted. Loki smirked. "Brilliant, I know." "Then the whole ritual…was a hoax?" Michael asked. Loki laughed again. "Precisely; I wanted that tigress to believe that it was real. Foolish Neyla…she was so power hungry and vengeful that she didn't see the truth." "How did you know her name?" Prince asked. "I've known ever since she found the crown; I was able to see and hear through the crown's gems to see the face and hear the voice of the one who claimed it. The crown and I are mystically connected, always have been and always will." Loki went on. "I made up the ritual and forged the useless instructions as a back up plan in case I failed my mission to gain all that power…which of course did happen."

Loki looked bitter now. "If it weren't for that meddling Slytankhamon, I would have succeeded! How _dare_ he to mess up my plans! After my defeat at his hands (no thanks to Shangdi's assistance), Odin had me imprisoned beneath Asgard in chains, never to be released again. Fortunately," he smiled evilly, "neither he nor any of the other gods ever knew my crown's power to free me. The plan was that the mortal who discovers the instructions and decides to do the ritual will try to make him or herself immortal and immeasurably powerful forever. However, that mortal would actually succeed where I've failed: Acquire the god's powers and free me!"

Michael couldn't believe this. _'This whole time I thought Neyla was our enemy…but it was Loki! Neyla was just a tool to free himself! Now he's on the loose again! This is so not what was supposed to happen!'_ Loki continued. "Once my crown captured Zeus, Odin and Ra, I only had to wait for the planetary alignment to occur. The energy pulse acted as the key to freeing me from my chains and allowed me to escape my pitiful prison. Neyla's immortal life force was transferred to me to make me strong enough to travel here; she is now a lifeless corpse. Thanks to that stupid woman, I'm free once more!" He laughed insanely once more. Michael looked angry as he stared back at his team. He mouthed "Ready to help shut the hell this guy up?" to his friends. Jade, Prince and Sarah nodded eagerly. Michael then turned back to Loki.

"Hey, Loki the Loser! You may be free, but you aren't ruler of the universe yet! You still have me and my pals to deal with!" Loki stopped laughing and looked amused. "Oh really? Who are you to stop me, the Great Loki?" Michael smiled. "Nobody special, just Slytankhamon's descendent." Loki was no longer smiling; on the contrary he was wide-eyed and looked extremely pissed off. "SLYTANKHAMON'S DESCENDENT?!?!" He backed up a few steps, still staring at Michael with utmost hate. "Yes, I can see the resemblance…you have his eyes and that very same smirk on his face." Loki said hatefully. "Rest assured you will _not_ defeat me like he did!" "No I won't…I'll beat you even worse."

Loki smirked nastily. "We'll see about that!" He held out his hand towards the crown and it zoomed towards him instantly. "That crown will do you no good Loki; the planetary alignment is over and the gods trapped inside are free." Sarah said. The immortal trickster shook his head. "Wrong again my dear; that was another lie I concocted. I did it to ensure that Neyla would proceed with the false ritual without haste; the crown's power was never temporary and is always active. As long as the crown and its gems are intact, Zeus, Odin, and Ra will never escape!" He then placed the crown on top of his helmet, which fit perfectly. Loki smiled wildly. "Now that the crown and I are together again, I will show you what it can do in the hands of a _true_ god!"

Michael had barely managed to put his mask back on when Loki sent a huge sun beam at the team! They barely managed to dodge in time, but Neyla's body was not as fortunate as it vaporized instantly. The explosion from the attack rocked the castle and even the mountain itself. After seeing that all his friends were alright, he told Murray and Panda King to get away from the battle. "You don't have to tell us twice!" Murray replied as he and Panda King ran out of the fighting area. Loki laughed. "Run all you want; you will never escape me!" Michael shot a big fireball at Loki when he wasn't looking. It had hit him squarely in the chest; however he didn't flinch from the blow.

Michael started to sweat. "Come on boy, you cannot defeat Loki!" Michael sneered. "We'll see about that!" he replied as he covered himself in flames. Prince made himself crystal armor with his Earth power and drew out his sword. Jade covered herself with water armor which could absorb most physical attacks, while Sarah surrounded her body with wind that would severely cut anyone who tired to hit her. They all surrounded Loki, prepared for the final showdown. Loki chuckled. "So, each of you has a power from the orb that Shangdi gave Slytankhamon. It won't matter; I will still be victorious!" He brought out his sword and waited for the next strike.

"Get him guys!" Michael shouted. All 4 charged at Loki, while the God of Mischief stood still. He smiled before he swung his sword in a circle with supernatural speed. When he swung his sword like that, a barrage of lightning bolts shot at Michael and his friends. They could not dodge this time and took the full brunt of the attack. If it weren't for their elemental magic, they would have been deep fried. The lightning had blasted Michael and the others into the walls of the chamber with tremendous impact. They were shaking badly as they got back up, but not injured. Loki laughed again. "Please, I insist you try harder before I annihilate you!" Prince picked up his sword and charged again.

"I will not go down that easily!" he yelled as he launched one boulder after another while was charging. Loki sliced them with each swing of his sword. When Prince brought his sword on him, Loki blocked it in time with his own weapon. When the two blades had collided, Prince's weapon shattered into hundreds of shards. Loki's sword was undamaged. The young wolf couldn't believe that he lost the sword that his father gave him a few years ago; it was like losing a part of himself. "Oh don't worry about your pathetic blade; you won't need it where you will be going." Loki slashed his sword on Prince's armor; he wasn't hurt but the impact sent him flying 10 ft away and hit the wall hard.

Loki was about to attack him again when he felt a strong kick at the back of his head. He turned around to find Sarah floating above him, who was surprised that her razor sharp winds didn't damage him. "Leave him alone!" The evil immortal smirked. "Attacking me from behind? Bad move, young lady!" He flew up and kicked Sarah on the chin and sent her spiraling away. She managed to regain control and ducked before Loki could cut her in half with his sword. She was barely managing to dodge his next attacks. She moved left, right, up, down, any direction to avoid getting hit. Sarah had just put same space btw her and Loki and fired several wind discs at him.

To Sarah's shock, none of them even scratched him. He just floated there, while smiling wildly. "Thanks for the breeze; it was getting a bit warm in here." He flew super fast and punched Sarah hard in the face and sent her crashing on the ground. "Sarah!" the others yelled as she landed. Loki floated down to about 10 ft from the ground. "Anyone else care to try?" he asked cockily. "Do us a favor and shut up Loki!" Jade yelled as she sent two giants fists of water at Loki, proceeding to pummel him. The fists mimicked Jade's movements as she attacked. Loki shot a huge lightning bolt at the fists, which caused the electricity to move to its source.

Unprepared for this, Jade felt the huge electric shock throughout her body and slammed her into another wall. Smoke was rising from her as she tried to stand up again. "Jade!" Michael yelled. He now felt great anger at Loki. "Hey pal, that was my girlfriend you just zapped!" He then launched a barrage of fireballs at Loki. He relentlessly fired them for nearly a minute and a half. When he finally stopped, smoke covered where Loki was. Michael thought he got him. His thoughts changed, however, when the smoke cleared. Loki had remained unscathed from the assault. He actually looked bored. Michael was shocked that his powers didn't even scratch him.

Loki floated down to the ground in front of Michael. "Now it is just you and me, descendent of Slytankhamon." Michael snarled at his ancestor's enemy. "I'll beat you to a pulp!" He then threw a string of fiery punches and kicks at Loki, which he dodged all too easily. No matter how fast or strong Michael was at that moment, he couldn't not land a blow on his adversary. Loki caught one of Michael's fists and kneed him in the gut. Michael felt all the air got knocked out of him from that blow. Loki then proceeded with a head butt and a punch in the face. Both of the attacks really hurt Michael; he could barely stand. Loki finished it with a swift kick to the head, sending Michael to crash on the strap table.

Murray and Panda King couldn't believe what they were seeing; Michael and his friends were losing to Loki, badly. "Panda King, we got to do something! Michael and his friends are getting pummeled!" The old bear shook his head regretfully. "There is nothing we can do. If Michael and the others cannot defeat Loki, how can we?" Murray knew that his old teammate was right; Loki seemed unstoppable. Back in the arena, Loki watched as Michael regrouped with his comrades; they were all severely injured. Loki laughed at the state they were in. "You fools; my power is superior to yours thanks to my crown! I am invincible and no one can stop me…not even you children!" He laughed manically.

Michael knew that he was right; they were just no match for him. "Guys, this is bad! We need to think of a plan and fast!" "We _need_ to get that crown off of him; it is why he so overwhelmingly powerful." Jade said painfully. "But we can't even touch him, let alone damage him. He'll never let us near it." Prince replied. "Even if we somehow get the crown, he still has his own powers; we are too badly hurt to continue fighting like this." Sarah said. Michael couldn't believe how hopeless the situations seemed. _'This can't be it…it can't end like this! We are supposed to save the world, not let it be destroyed. Man, I wish I knew exactly how Slytankhamon used the Elemental Orb to defeat Loki. If we knew, maybe we had a chance; but then again, Slytankhamon didn't face Loki with the power he wields now…'_

_"True, but the power I used to defeat him was greater than 10 gods."_ Michael widened his eyes. _'Slytankhamon?' "Yes Michael, I'm here to assist."_ Michael laughed humorlessly. _'Well, me and my pals sure need it. We are getting pounded by your old pal Loki.' "I noticed; Loki has become far more powerful thanks to his crown." 'No kidding! He's practically invincible!' "No, there is still a way." 'Would this be the greater than 10 gods power you just mentioned?' "Yes, and you and your friends all have it." 'If you're talking about the Elemental Orb, it's not doing us much good right now.' _

_"Listen, you and your friends have learned to use the orb…but not at its full power. If you and your friends can unlock the true power of the orb, you 4 will be more than a match for Loki, even with his crown." 'Really? How do we unlock the orb's true power?' "When you learned to unlock the orb's power, you only unlocked a small portion of it. To access its full power, you must let go of all your negative emotions and replace them with positive ones. Allow positive emotions to flow through you like a river flowing in the ocean, only then will you be able to put an end to Loki's evil." 'I hope you're right about this…because it is our last hope.' "You can do it…I know you can."_

Michael snapped back to reality by his girlfriend. "Michael! Can you hear me?" Jade said worriedly. Michael shook his head. "Yeah, I'm just dandy." "Michael you spaced out for a while there, what happened?" Prince asked. Michael smiled. "Listen, I just had a little chat with Slytankhamon and he said there is still a way we can win." He whispered his discussion with ancestor so that Loki could not hear him. When he was finished, the others looked awestruck. "We haven't been using the orb's full power all this time?" Sarah asked. "No, and if we want to win we need to fill ourselves with positive emotions. Who is with me?"

Jade, Prince, and Sarah all nodded. Michael smiled. "Awesome, let's do it!" They closed their eyes and began the process. Loki looked curious as he watched his enemies stand there doing nothing. He grew impatient. "Alright, break time is over!" He fired another massive sun beam at the team, proceeding to burn them to ashes. Murray and Panda King couldn't bear to watch as the beam was getting closer to them. A split second before the beam had touched them, the team's eyes snapped open…and it had happened: A massive glow erupted from the team and negated the sun beam. Loki was shocked that his powerful attack was snuffed out so easily.

He stared at the team with an old fear. "No…it can't be! I've seen that glow before! Not that…not again!" Michael and the others glowed about ten times more than they did when they first began their elemental orb training. The energy emitting from them was massive; it could even be seen from outside the castle. They stood there, staring at Loki with a look of judgment in their eyes. Loki began to shudder as the overwhelming auras of red, blue, yellow, and white began to advance on him. Michael pointed at the trickster and said, "Loki, you're going down…hard."

To be continued…


	28. Chapter 28 Fate of the Heroes

Hey, I've returned! So sorry for not updating earlier; technical difficulties and holiday madness! Now I'm back with the next to last chapter. Without another delay, here is the climatic conclusion of the battle! Enjoy!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 28- Fate of the Heroes

Loki held up his sword and sneered. "You may have the Elemental Orb's true power, but I still have the power in my crown! You still cannot win!" He threw another bolt of lightning at them, but like his sun beam it cancelled out the moment it hit their auras. Michael smirked. "Your stolen power doesn't seem to do you much good now, huh Loki?" Michael and his team had absorbed their auras and began to transform their bodies. A few moments later, Murray, Panda King, and Loki beheld the most unbelievable sight they've ever seen: Michael, Jade, Prince, and Sarah now resembled the elements they commanded.

Michael's body became fire, Jade's became water, Prince's became earth, and Sarah's became air. They didn't just control those elements…they had _become_ those elements. "Guys, let's see what we can _really_ do!" Michael shouted as he and the others attacked Loki once more. Loki tried to cut down Michael when he approached, but his fiery body split in half and reassembled right behind the god. "You missed." Loki snarled as he tried to attack him again. Michael caught his sword in one hand and instantly melted it. Loki yelled in pain as the scorching heat reached his hands.

"What's the matter Loki…can't take the heat?" Michael asked confidently. Loki was pissed off now. "You little brat! I'll tear you limb from limb!" Before Loki could make good on his threat, he was grabbed by two copies of Prince, each holding one of Loki's arms. No matter how hard he pulled, he could not break free. The real Prince appeared from the ground like a mountain forming. He smiled. "This is for breaking my prized sword!" His hands became two massive blocks. With one block, he hit Loki hard in the gut, not only breaking his chest armor but causing him to cough up blood too.

After the Prince copies had released Loki, Prince hit him straight in the face with his other block, sending him flying into a wall with a loud crash. "Aaaaahhh!" Loki fell to the floor with a thud and slowly, but painfully, got back on his feet. Bleeding and hurting, Loki was more determined than ever to defeat his enemies. "It will take more than that to defeat the mighty Loki!" "Then I'll aid my contribution to your defeat!" Sarah shouted as she kicked Loki in the head and sent him in the air. Loki regained his balance and now focused on the eagle nomad.

"You will pay for that dearly!" He flew at Sarah fast and threw many punches and kicks. Unfortunately, they just go right through her, due to the fact that she was pure air now. Attacking at the head, chest, or legs did no good for Loki; he could not touch her. When Loki fad finally stopped his assault, completely out of breath, Sarah moved in. "Now it is my turn, evil one." Sarah concentrated her power into her hands, flew at Loki at top speed, and punched him hard. Her blow, which caused the concentrated air to release on impact, sent Loki soaring in the opposite way.

Flying much faster and more easily than ever, Sarah reformed just moments before Loki came her way. She fired a multiple wind discs at him, but these were far more powerful than the ones she used previously. When they hit Loki, they sliced through his remaining armor, giving him dozens of cuts and injuries. Loki screamed in pain from the attack. When he finally met up with Sarah, she instantly trapped him in the biggest cyclone she had ever produced. While inside the cyclone, Loki was spinning uncontrollably and could not breathe.

That was because Sarah had thickened the air in the cyclone, making it impossible to breathe inside it. Loki was taking even more damage from the cyclone, adding to the severe injuries he had already received. With a clap, Sarah had caused the cyclone to explode, sending Loki back to the ground with an even bigger impact than the last one he had gotten. Michael gave her the thumbs up, which Sarah responded in kind. Loki slowly got up again, and was really pissed off now.

"This…cannot be happening…to me (cough)! I am…the great Loki! I…cannot be…defeated (cough)!" Jade decided to make her move. "For someone who claims to be so great, you sure are pathetic." Loki turned to Jade and threw dozens of lightning bolts at her. Jade dodged them by moving her water-like body in several ways; she moved like real water, flowing from one location to the next like a running river. She wasn't just dodging, she was also moving closer to Loki after each bolt that each bolt she avoided. When she reformed in front of Loki, he stopped his attack stepped back in surprise. He then tried something new; he concentrated is lightning into his fists.

"I doubt even you can dodge this attack at close range!" He threw his electric punches at her, but they simply bounced off her face. Loki was shocked that his electricity had no effect on her like before. "That's impossible!! Why haven't you been electrocuted?" Jade smiled at the immortal. "Easy; I changed the density of my body to the point where it is like rubber; nothing can break through, just bounce off. Not even electricity can hurt me now, Loki." Jade then covered Loki completely with her body and froze herself on him. When Loki tried to move, he couldn't; he was immobilized. Just then, his right hand for a fist and hit himself in the face.

Shocked, Loki was thinking what that watery panther was up to now. He then heard her voice all around his ensnared body. "Confused? I'll explain, tough guy. While my body is covering you, I have complete control of its actions. I make you do anything I wish, and you are powerless until I choose to leave." Loki couldn't believe he allowed this to happen to him; him, the most powerful god in the cosmos! "Now then, let's have some fun." Jade snickered as she began to make Loki attack himself again. She made him punch himself, step hard on his own feet, made him run into the wall not once but twice, and finally poke his eyes. It was then that Jade finally chose to leave Loki's body and reform beside her friends.

Needless to say, they enjoyed watching Loki punish himself, especially Michael. "That was totally funny Jade! Awesome work!" Jade smiled at her boyfriend. "Thanks, I try my best." They all laughed. Loki, however, didn't feel like laughing in the slightest. He was bleeding, hurting, and completely humiliated. Panda King and Murray were totally impressed by the way their young friends had gotten the upper hand over Loki so easily. When Loki was on his feet again, he was a mad as a dragon with a tooth ache. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!!" He then charged after the gang once more. Michael decided to finish the job. "I'll take it from here guys." He charged at Loki and their punches met with force powerful enough to shake the castle.

Loki tried to punch Michael, but he easily blocked it and counterattacked him, causing Loki to stumble back a little. While he was still dazed, Michael threw a fiery uppercut and kicked Loki in the stomach. With his orb power fully released, his attacks are 10 times stronger than before. Loki kneeled in pain. He then tried a swift kick, but Michael had vanished and reappeared on Loki's left. "Don't you know, Loki, that when you play with fire…you get _burned_?" He then grabbed Loki by the throat with one hand and started to burn the evil immortal; smoke was rising from where he held Loki. Loki grabbed Michael's wrist and tried to pry it off, but Michael's grip was too strong.

Michael then launched a fireball as big as a truck at Loki's face. The result from the impact was a huge explosion which rocked the castle even more. Everyone was holding on to something while the place shook. When the thick smoke cleared after a few moments, the fiery Michael was shown standing unharmed. Loki was not so fortunate, however; he was lying on the floor, his face blackened and burned from the fireball's explosion. He looked like he couldn't move another inch. "That last move was for hurting Jade you insane, power-hungry monster." Michael then walked over to Loki's head, leaned down and took the Immortal Crown from him.

He walked back to the others with the crown in hand. "Well guys, this is it; the object that started this whole mess. Shall we get rid of it together?" They all nodded. "Great, then what are we waiting for?" He set the crown down. Michael and his friends prepared their chosen attacks to destroy the crown. On the other side, Loki was watching and looked horrified. "Wait, stop! Don't destroy my crown!! Please, I'll do anything you want, anything! Just don't destroy my treasure!!" Michael looked back at the begging Loki with cold eyes. "Sorry pal, but this ends now!" He and the others then launched beams containing their elemental energy at the crown. It began to glow white hot and shake violently. Several seconds later, it finally disintegrated.

The crown's explosion rocked the castle again; it was that huge. Finally on his knees, Loki shouted in despair. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!" The God of Mischief just got on his feet, trembling. He was more pissed than ever about his beloved crown being destroyed before his very eyes. Loki stared back at Michael and his team with unrivaled hatred and malice. "How dare you…how DARE you destroy my crown?! This is beyond sacrilege! If you think you are just going to walk away in triumph, you are sorely mistaken! Your pathetic lives end NOW!!!" He fired a huge beam of all his godlike power at the team from his horns.

Reacting instantly, Michael and his friends fired their elemental beams together at Loki' beam. The two beams collided and began to push each other. Loki was really determined to kill his enemies, but his desire for revenge would not help him now. The concentrated beams of Michael's team were quickly overpowering Loki's and pushed it back towards its owner. Loki was so badly injured and exhausted from the battle that he couldn't have the power to fight against it. Loki became filled with fear and hopelessness. "No, it can't end this way! It can't! I'm the Great, Powerful Loki; I cannot be defeated by mere children!!"

At the last moment, right before Loki was hit by the 4 elemental beams, he saw a shadow of a figure behind the team. It was the shadow of the one who defeated him centuries ago, and now he was beaten again by someone carrying his blood in his veins. "CURSE YOU SLYTANKHAMEN!!!" Loki was then caught in another great explosion that not only made the castle shake, but the mountain as well. The whole roof of the castle was blown apart from the blast, exposing the inside to the frigid cold air. The winds blew all the smoke away, revealing the result of that last attack. Loki was down again, this time for good. Murray and Panda King climbed out of the rubble fairly unscathed.

Michael, Jade, Prince, and Sarah had fallen down, completely tired from that long fight. They had reverted back to their original flesh and blood bodies and looked exhausted. Though they were extremely tired, the team couldn't be more proud of themselves. Michael had taken Jade's hand and held it tight, with Jade responding without hesitation. "Well, we did it. We saved the world! I don't know about you, but I feel pretty good right now!" he said happily. Jade smiled back. "Yes, I feel just dandy myself." "That was the greatest battle we've ever experienced! We actually defeated a god!" Prince said enthusiastically. "Yeah, but it sure wasn't easy!" Sarah replied. Just then, they all started laughing hard.

Murray and Panda King joined in the laughter as well. "You guys were totally unreal!! Loki never knew what hit him!" "This is a joyous day for us all! Well done young ones…well done indeed!" Michael smiled at his old friends. "Thanks guys, we sure did a hell of a job to this place, huh?" Michael asked as he looked around the castle, which was practically destroyed. They all laughed again after that comment. Just then, they felt the castle shift sharply. It felt like it was moving slowly. "What is going on now?" Sarah asked. Murray ran to one of the exposed holes outside and gasped in horror. He turned back to the others with the grave report. "Bad news! The castle is about to slide down the mountain!"

They gasped in horror too as they got back on their feet. "All the impacts and explosions from the battle must have made the foundations of this castle unstable; it will no longer hold itself in place!" Panda King shouted. At once, they felt the castle shift even more to the edge. It stopped at the tip of the mountain; one more movement and the whole castle will fall to its doom. Michael and Jade hugged each other tightly, while everybody else was waiting for the inevitable. "I didn't think we go out like this!" Jade shouted. "Me neither; not exactly the fate of the heroes I was hoping for. But Jade, if this is the end for us…I'm glad I got to spend my last moments with my friends…and the girl I love."

Jade smiled at Michael. "And I'm glad I got to spend my last moments with the guy I love." They then kissed passionately as the castle made its final shift. The castle then started to fall to the unseen chasm below…

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

They were waiting for immense impact at the bottom of the chasm, but it never came. Instead of yelling and sounds of crashing, Michael and Jade heard a few whistles and some laughter. They broke apart to see what was going on, and to their complete shock they were back at the Fortress of Kings! They looked around to see that Prince, Sarah, Murray, and Panda King had made it too, which made them smile. Michael then saw the Four Kings, Bentley, and his parents staring from the background. Michael was overjoyed to see his mom and dad again after he thought he was going to die. The kings were smiling warmly, while Sly and Carmelita looked stunned.

"Wow Michael, you sure know how to make a girl melt in your arms!" Sly said surprisingly. Michael and Jade blushed madly from his statement and looked away. "Uh, Dad, how long have we been here?" he asked embarrassingly. He chuckled. "Oh, for a good 5 minutes…at least." The young couple blushed even more. "Your girlfriend is so cute. What's your name?" Carmelita asked. The young panther cleared her throat. "Um, I'm Jade." Carmelita nodded with a smile. "A cute girl with a beautiful name, you better keep her Michael." The young raccoon felt like a bucket of water right now. "Mom, stop embarrassing me." Everyone started to laugh as Sly and Carmelita hugged their son again.

"I don't understand. How did we get back here?" "You can thank me for that." Bentley said. Michael turned to his uncle. "I managed to get all my equipment back online, including the _Deliverer_. Once I saw you guys about to fall down that mountain, I teleported you all back here safe and sound." "Thanks Uncle Bentley. That's another one I owe ya." Michael said gratefully. Bentley nodded appreciatively. He then turned back to his parents. "Mom, Dad, I got so much to tell you!" Sly held up his hand. "We know you do, but your mom and I have something to tell you ourselves first." For a moment, Michael didn't understand.

Then he remembered what his mom said right before she and Sly were teleported by Bentley. "Oh yeah, I remember now! Mom said you two have something important to tell me when my friends and I got back. So, what is it? What's the big news?" Sly and Carmelita smiled. "Well, while your mom and I were being held captive by Neyla, we found out something incredible!" Michael waited excitedly. Carmelita kneeled before her son and put her hands on his shoulders. She gave him a very warm smile. "Michael…your father and I…are going to have a baby!" Most of the group gasped in surprise, while the others just smiled.

Michael, however, reacted very differently. He looked completely dumbstruck for a moment, and then…

He fainted.

To be concluded…


	29. Chapter 29 Goodbye Friends

Hey! Sorry again for the delay; I just couldn't find the time to work on it! But the wait is over. It is time to bring this amazing story to its end. It has been a struggle, but it sure was worth it! Also, I don't think I'll write another Sly story after this one. Instead I'll be taking a break and maybe write a story for another famous franchise. I hope you all will understand. Well, hope you enjoy the finale!

The Raccoon, the Panther, and the Divine Gods

Chapter 29- Goodbye Friends

It took a while, but Sly and Carmelita finally managed to get their son back on his feet. He was still woozy from the news that he was going to be a big brother. "Oh man, what a day! First my friends helped me saved the world from a psychopathic immortal, and now I just found out that I'm going to have a baby brother or sister! This is just too much!" His parents laughed. "Don't worry; things will get back to normal." Carmelita said. "Michael, how do you feel about having a brother or sister?" Sly asked seriously. They all waited for Michael to answer. Michael then smiled. "Honestly, I really wouldn't mind! I always thought our house was too big for just the 3 of us, one more shouldn't hurt." They all laughed again.

After they all had settled down, Michael began to tell his parents everything that had happened since Neyla kidnapped them, with his friends helping him with certain details. He told them about his talk with Barkley, his interrogation of Sam Wells, confronting Neyla in Athens, learning of Slytankhamen's battle with Loki, the Immortal Crown, the rendezvous with Panda King, the theft of the map, his meeting with Jade, the fight against Muscles, the search for the Zodiac Gems, meeting Prince Sly (to his parents' great surprise) and Sarah along the way, facing Tsao (his parents gasped), discovering the Elemental Orb, their encounter with the Four Heavenly Kings, their training to master the orb, the battle with Neyla, the revelation that Loki was pulling the strings, the gang using the orb's full power to beat him and destroy the crown, and finally the collapse of the castle.

When he had finished, Sly and Carmelita sat there with both shock and amazement on their faces. "Whoa, I can't believe you have been through _all that_ in just two weeks! You sure have been busy, son!" Sly said in astonishment. "No kidding! You or your friends could have been killed dozens of times!! But we are both glad you weren't." Carmelita said gratefully. Michael scratched the back of his head and chuckled. "Trust me, you aren't the only ones." Michael then stepped back so that his parents can get to know his companions. They both liked Jade immediately after getting to know her; they felt Michael made the right choice for a girlfriend. They also liked Sarah. When they finally got to Prince, it felt like meeting an old friend.

"I am glad and honored to finally meet the people who helped my parents years ago." He said after shaking their hands. "Hey, the honor is ours; we have not seen you since you just an infant." Sly replied. "You look just like Beowulf, except for your eyes…they are Isis', aren't they?" Carmelita asked kindly. The young wolf nodded. "Yes, indeed they are." "Say, how are your mother and father doing back home?" Sly asked. "They are both just fine; our planet hasn't changed much since you left…except, maybe a few technological improvements thanks to their alliance with Plaxis Prime, Dolphus, and Dramar." "That reminds me, how are our friends on those worlds?" Carmelita asked. Prince smiled.

"Emperor Zarus is doing just great; his world has gained the reputation of being one of the most peace loving planets in the cosmos. Chancellor Jacor and his wife, Ariel, have a son named Triton. He is a few years younger than me, but has grown to be quite a little rebel…kind of like his mother." They laughed about that. "But they love one another. Like his father, he is also an honorable warrior. As for Rovax and Wingdra, well he became admiral while she became a senator for the new queen. They have a daughter named Carla, who also is very political and is a year younger than I am. Sometimes Triton, Carla, and I get together while our parents were busy; we're like best friends. I can't wait to tell them what has happened here." Prince finished.

"I am so happy for all of them." Carmelita said warmly. "We both are glad to hear that our old friends are doing alright." Sly replied. Prince nodded. Michael and the others were also interested in hearing all the info. Finally, Sly and Carmelita approached the Four Kings. They bowed to them respectfully. "Thank you, all four of you, for watching over our son and his friends." "He means the world to us, and we couldn't be more grateful to you." The Four Kings bowed back and smiled. "Your very much welcome; it was an honor to watch over and train your son. He is an extraordinary young man; he is fortunate to have such loving parents like yourselves." Mang Zang said kindly.

Sly and Carmelita smiled back, as well as Michael. Before anyone else could say a word, a massive light filled the room. It temporarily blinded them all. A minute later, the light had vanished. Once everyone could see again, they were surprised to see 4 other people where the light was. Michael recognized one of them as Zeus; after all, he saw a statue of him back in Athens. Sly and Carmelita recognized another one as Ra; they saw a statue of him during the whole museum affair. Jade guessed that the one with the missing eye, and the fact that the other two gods that were captured by Neyla were also here, must be Odin. Those three gods had confirmed their identities to them. No one knew who the 4th person was, however the Kings had dropped to their knees and bowed their heads when they saw him.

The 4th person looked like a golden sheep. He wore a snow white robe, had bronze eyes, and wore a crown of gold and diamonds. He was slender and was the tallest person in the room, 6'8" to be exact. This figure and the other gods approached Michael and his friends. Michael's team bowed instantly to show respect. "Kneel," said the sheep. They did so and kneeled before them. The others had no idea what was going on, even the Kings remained clueless. "Lift up your heads." The sheep instructed. Once the team stared into the faces of these important immortals, they trembled. Zeus shook his head. "Do not be afraid; we have to come to thank you for everything you have done." "You four have defeated Neyla, freed Zeus, Odin, and Ra from that retched crown of Loki's and brought down Loki himself! These incredible feats cannot go unrewarded." The unknown figure said in a warm, caring voice.

Michael and the others were surprised to hear that. Ra approached Sarah and asked her to hold out her hands. She did so, and Ra dropped two small objects in her hands. She saw that they were a pair of ruby earrings; the most beautiful she ever saw. "Those are no ordinary earrings, Sarah. When worn, they will allow you to hear across long distances, hundreds of miles to be precise. Use them only when you need too." Sarah looked back up at the Egyptian Sun God with amazement. "Thank you, Lord Ra. I will take good care of them." Ra smiled and backed away. Zeus approached Jade and gave her a stunning sapphire ring. "Jade, this ring has the power to show its wearer the true nature of one's soul. It can be very useful in determining whether or not someone can be trusted. Use it only when you feel that a person might be untrustworthy." Jade nodded. "Thank you, Lord Zeus. I will make sure to use it wisely."

After Zeus walked back, Odin came forward towards Prince. He gave him a sword inside a rainbow sheath. "I felt that this sword might make a nice replacement to the one you lost against Loki. Draw out the blade." Prince then grabbed the handle and carefully pulled out the new weapon. It was magnificent; like the sheath, the blade also resembled a rainbow. "That sword is the more powerful than any mortal blade. It cannot be broken and it can only be wielded by someone with a strong, pure heart…like yours.

"At will, it can become any of the seven colors that make up the rainbow, and each color has a powerful ability. Let's see; Red allows the blade to melt anything it touches, Blue can freeze anything, Yellow can blind your opponents with blinding light, Orange will let you shield yourself from magical attacks, Green can make any armor it makes contact with disappear, Indigo can cause earthquakes, and Violet allows you to move at incredible speeds.

"In its most powerful form, its current rainbow form, you can defeat an entire army with a single strike. Use that power only as a last resort. The power of this sword cannot be taken lightly. Do you understand, Prince Sly?" Prince, after examining the blade with astonishment, nodded. "Yes, I will not misuse this incredible sword. Thank you, mighty Odin." Odin smiled and retreated as well. Finally, the golden sheep approached Michael. The young raccoon didn't know what kind of reward he would receive; hell, he still didn't even know who this guy was.

As if he knew what he was thinking, the figure finally introduced himself. "I am Shangdi, the Sovereign Deity of China. I was the one who gave your ancestor the Elemental Orb to battle Loki, and I'm the one who arranged things so that you and your friends may use it to save the world, which of course you did." Michael and the others were awestruck that _the_ Shangdi was here in the flesh…so to speak. Michael's mouth hung open in shock for a moment, and then closed it to not show any disrespect. Shangdi continued to smile at him. "I was very surprised to learn that Loki had his crown made as a measure to escape from his prison and try to rule the cosmos again. I had truly thought that Neyla was the true threat, and once I learned that you and your comrades fought Loki, I thought you would all be doomed.

"But everything changed when Slytankhamen came to you and tell you how to use the orb's true power. That power allowed you and your friends to defeat Loki, just as your ancestor once did. I, and the other gods once they were freed, could not be more proud of your work." Michael waited for a chance to speak, and he politely interrupted. "Excuse me, Great Shangdi, but what happened to Loki? Last time I saw that scumbag he fell along with his castle." Shangdi nodded. "Oh he lives, but this time he will _never_ escape from his prison again…not after you've destroyed his crown. I apprehended him right after the castle fell off the ledge on Mount Everest. He won't cause anymore trouble, thanks to you."

Michael smiled from his praise. He waited for Shangdi to give him something, but he didn't. Instead, he leaned down and talked softly. "Michael Cooper, I know not what to give someone who has gone through such ordeals to rescue his family. So, I will let you decide what your reward shall be." Shangdi said with a smile. Michael was astounded. "I…get to choose?" The Chinese Sovereign nodded. For a few moments Michael pondered on what he would like. He couldn't think of anything like a ring or sword; he already had everything he ever wanted: He got his mother and father back, made some awesome friends, got to save the world, and earned himself a wonderful girlfriend. Then suddenly, he thought of something that might make his future even brighter.

"I think I know what I would like as a reward, Great Shangdi." Shangdi waited patiently for his answer. Michael hoped that this powerful god can pull it off. He gulped and then he gave his request. "I don't know if you knew this, but when Loki was defeated by my ancestor, he placed a curse on his bloodline: A curse that will make all of Slytankhamen's descendents master thieves. Slytankhamen was praised as a hero, but the rest of his bloodline were hated for what they became…and it was all Loki's fault." Shangdi nodded in sadness. "Yes, I am fully aware of that curse; I learned of it a century or two after Loki's imprisonment." Michael then continued.

"Great Shangdi, do you think you could…remove that curse? I don't want to walk on the same path as the other Coopers did; I don't want my life to be planned out by Loki's curse." Michael pleaded. Shangdi stood up and thought for a long time. Michael was starting to doubt he could do it; after all, Loki was the one that placed that curse. It would only make since that only he could renounce it. After what seemed an eternity, Shangdi leaned down again and looked right into Michael's eyes. They glowed white, and so did Michael's for a brief moment; he gasped in surprise. Once his eyes looked normal again, Shangdi smiled. "It is done young one…the curse has been removed."

Michael felt like all the air got knocked out of him. He couldn't believe that he was actually free from Loki's curse, as well as any future Cooper. He then felt happier than he has ever been. "Thank you so much, Lord Shangdi. Thank you!" Shangdi laughed softly. "You are welcome, Michael Cooper. You deserve to be happy after all the suffering you have endured." Shangdi then regrouped with the other gods. He then motioned for Michael and his team to stand up. Once they were back on their feet, Shangdi spoke to all of them. "There is one last thing to do before I send you all back to your world. The Elemental Orb…it is time to return it. Please, return it so you can live normal lives again."

Michael and the team looked at one another, and they all nodded. "We understand; it was awesome controlling the elements, but a normal life sounds pretty good right now." Michael said. Shangdi smiled. "Very good, now give me your hands." Michael's team held out their hands as instructed, while Shangdi held out his own. Michael and his friends started to glow their elemental colors again, and then the energy left them and moved to Shangdi. The Elemental Orb was whole again in the Chinese god's hands. A split second later, the orb vanished. "Thank you; the Elemental Orb is back in its sacred place, hopefully it will never be needed again."

Michael, Jade, Prince, and Sarah hoped so too. With nothing holding him back, Shangdi gave the young ones one more word of thanks. "The gods across the cosmos could never thank you all enough for the parts you have played to ensure the world is safe from evil. We shall now return you all to Earth. Be happy…all of you."

"We sure will!" Everyone replied before vanishing in a flash of golden light.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The whole gang found themselves back at the Cooper house; it appeared that the sun was going down. Not long after they had returned, they had a celebration party for Michael and his friends. Everyone ate, drank, danced, and played lots of fun games. It lasted well into the night, after which they went to bed and slept peacefully. Once the Coopers and their friends got up and had some breakfast, it was time for their goodbyes. Sarah needed to get back to her home in the northern Chinese mountains, Prince missed his home world, and Jade missed her parents. Prince decided to use his magic to send everyone back to their homes, and then he'll head back himself. But first, there was still one thing to take care of.

"What else is there to do?" Sly asked his son when Michael mentioned it. "Slytankhamen's map; it still needs to be returned to the Beijing Museum." "No problem; I can handle that easily." Prince replied. Michael immediately brought out the map on the dining room table. After Prince placed a hand over it, his eyes glowed yellow. Then in a flash, the map was gone. Prince smiled after his eyes returned to normal. "It is done; the map is back where it belongs." With that taken care of, everyone started to bid farewell to each other. Panda King was first.

"Goodbye my friends; it was an honor and a pleasure to fight along side you once more." "So long Panda King," everyone said before he was teleported his home in China by Prince. Next up was Sarah. She and Jade hugged each other strongly. "Take good care of yourself, Sarah." The eagle nomad nodded and smiled. "And the same with you Jade." Prince took her hand and kissed it. "May you live a long and happy life, Sarah." Sarah laughed a little. "Thank you Prince Sly. I say the same to you." Michael came up and shook her hand. "Thanks for everything you've done for me and my family. I'll miss you." "I will miss you too Michael. I hope your future sibling will become strong like you. Goodbye to all of you." With that, Sarah vanished in a flash of light.

Michael was having a much harder time with Jade about to leave; she lived all the way in China while he lived in Paris, France; their relationship might be put on a major strain. Michael just hugged Jade really hard, and Jade hugged him back just as hard. "Jade, I really wish you didn't live so far away. If you lived here, we could spend so much more time together." Jade was on the verge of tears. "I know; it is just unfair that we are separated by distance. But even though my home is in Beijing…my heart belongs here with you." Michael and Jade smiled before kissing passionately. It seemed to last a long time, perhaps a century. All too soon, they broke apart and waved. "This is not goodbye, Michael…just see you later. I love you." Jade said.

Michael smiled. "Yeah, see you later…and I love you too." A few seconds more they looked into each other's eyes before Prince sent her back home. Michael lowered his head in sadness. He had asked Uncle Bentley earlier if he could use his teleporting machine to send himself to visit Jade or vice versa, but he said it would not work out. "Sorry kiddo, but long distance relationships just don't work out, no matter how they are done." Michael sat down in silence. Finally, it was Prince Sly's turn to say goodbye. "Do not let your sadness consume you Michael. Perhaps someday you and Jade will see each other again." "Maybe," Michael said emotionlessly.

Shaking off the bad feeling of saying goodbye to his girlfriend, he shook Prince's hand. "Still, thanks for all that you've done to help me and my other friends. Tell your other pals everything here, okay?" The wolf prince smiled. "Got it." Sly and Carmelita shook his hand separately. "So long Prince, it was an honor to see you again. Say hi to your mother and father for us, will you?" "I most certainly will Sly and Carmelita Cooper. Farewell, to all of you." With that his eyes glowed yellow one more time and he vanished. It was just the three Coopers, Bentley and Murray now. They all felt sad as they looked at Michael. "Hey son, is there anything we can do to make you feel better?" Sly asked. Michael shook his head.

"I don't think there is Dad. I'll just head up to my room." He then left the rest of his family in the dining room. "Poor Michael, he must be very heart broken about Jade not being here anymore." Carmelita said softly. Sly held an arm around her. "Yeah, I think this is the first time he ever lost a girl he really loved. But he'll feel better with time." Murray had just blown his nose into a hanky; it sounded like a foghorn. "I'm so sad that Jade and Michael aren't together anymore. I don't think I can picture him with anybody else." "Me neither pal." Bentley replied gently. _'There must be a way for them to be together, there must be…'_ Just then, something snapped in Bentley's immensely developed brain…

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1 year later…

It was summer at the Cooper house, and the whole family was out in the backyard for some barbeque. Sly was grilling some steaks, while Carmelita was cooking some vegetables. Murray was making sure that the table was set. Bentley and Penelope helped with the dessert. Michael was busy with his new baby sister, Jasmine. She had darker fur than her father, and she had the same dark blue hair her mother had, along with chocolate brown eyes. She was very hyperactive; Michael was trying to change her diaper, but she moved too much. One time, she accidentally kicked it into his face (fortunately it was clean).

After some effort, he finally managed to succeed. He sat down on a nearby chair, tired. Jasmine was laughing loudly at how much work he had to do to change her. Michael grunted. "Note to self: _Always_ have a professional do it." Just then, he heard his mother. "Michael, it's time to eat! Bring Jasmine and sit down!" Michael picked up Jasmine and carried her to the picnic table. He had set her down in a baby seat btw him and his dad. Everyone else was at the table with all the food, which looked pretty good.

"Thanks mom and dad; all of this looks great!" Michael said hungrily. Sly smiled. "You're welcome Michael, but next time you're doing the cooking." Jasmine laughed again along with everyone else. Even Michael laughed a little. "Enough talk, let's eat!" Before they even picked up their forks, Sly heard the door bell at the front door. "Huh, I wonder who that could be." He said as he went to the door. Everybody was waiting for him to return. A few minutes later, Sly came back out, but he wasn't alone. Three people followed him outside, and Michael's jaw dropped to the ground: One of them was Jade. She and her parents were here. Jade looked very happy to see everyone again, especially Michael.

They immediately ran to each other and hugged fiercely. He then looked into her beautiful face. "Jade…I can't believe it! You're really here!" Jade was just as happy. "Yep, I'm here…and to stay." Michael couldn't believe what he just heard. "What do you mean?" Jade held her boyfriend's hands. "Michael, my parents and I have moved here in Paris just a few days ago! After we settled in, I found out about your barbeque in a letter from Bentley and asked my parents if we could come. They didn't mind in the slightest!" Michael felt like he was in heaven now. "How did you convince your parents to move here?" Michael asked.

Jade shrugged. "I didn't; last week my dad had won a lottery he entered to try to earn us some money; we were very poor, remember? It was a huge amount of money. And strangely, he found a note along with the check that suggested that they should move to a better place…it suggested Paris, France! After a very long discussion, we all agreed to pack our things and move here! It's incredible! What were the odds that we would meet up again? It was as if fate wanted us to be together!" Michael said no more; instead he gave her a very hot, passionate kiss. They kissed for a while, until he heard his dad. "Hey love birds! Get your food while it's still hot!" "Coming Dad!" He took Jade's hand and they both walked to the table.

As they were eating, Bentley sniggered silently on Michael's left. While everyone else was engaged in loud conversations, he leaned towards his uncle. "What is so funny, Uncle Bentley?" Bentley whispered as quietly as he could. "The truth is, Michael…I'm responsible for Jade and her parents moving here!" Michael nearly chocked on his BBQ pork. "What?! You got to be kidding me!?" The turtle shook his head. "Nope, it was another of my _brilliant _schemes! I'm just so sorry it took this long; I had the idea since Jade left last year." "Why did you take so long to pull this off?" Michael asked incredulously. "It took months of time to set up that lottery Jade's dad won, and to set up arrangements to convince them to move to Paris. Some of the best plans take a lot more time to complete."

Michael smiled back at him. "Well, I'm sure glad you did, Uncle Bentley. That makes it 3 times I owe you!" Bentley chuckled. "Don't worry about it; I'm not keeping count." "Hey Michael! Michael!" The happy raccoon turned to his panther girlfriend in front of him. "Sorry Jade. What were you saying?" Jade was tickling Jasmine's tummy. "I said your little sister is so adorable! I think she likes me!" Jasmine was definitely more relaxed than just a few minutes ago; she seemed so much calmer when Jade sat next to her. Michael smiled at the scene. "Yeah, she does like you…but I'm the one that _loves_ you." Jade smiled back at him as they resumed eating their BBQ meal. Michael thought he'd never see Jade again, but he was glad he did, and even more grateful that he'll see her more often. Michael and Jade couldn't be happier to be together, just like how Sly and Carmelita couldn't be happier together.

They would always be happy because of their strong love for each other.

The End.

Note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed my story (those of you who said you loved it at least). I am so glad that I got to finish another great story. I had some major bumps along the way, but with some encouragement I was able to overcome them and complete my latest work! So for those who loved my story, thank you so very much. Like I said above, I won't write another Sly story. Please don't be upset; I just want to take some time off and try to expand my writing skills to other franchises that I like to write fiction on. Until I return with something new…farewell!


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